Long-term care funding in Canada: a policy mosaic.
When Canada was founded, health care was delegated as a provincial responsibility. Although the federal government shares a portion of health care costs, it is not directly responsible for the planning, delivery, and governance of health services. The 1984 Canada Health Act set national standards for the provision of physician and hospital services, but it does not apply to home care and long-term care facilities. Consequently, each province has established a unique approach to long-term care, resulting in a health policy mosaic. This paper examines different approaches to funding long-term care with a particular emphasis on the impacts of regionalization and of the implementation of case-mix-based funding systems.
Hirdes
J P
JP
Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1. hirdes@uwaterloo.ca
D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D005376:Financial Management; D005380:Financing, Government; D016330:Frail Elderly; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics*; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000191:economics*