Canadian Health Report Card

According to the report card released by the Conference Board of Canada, British Columbia gets an A+ for being the province with the healthiest Canadian population. Residents have the lowest rate of disease, and the highest level of physical activity, resulting in low obesity rates as well.

Newfoundland has the highest rates of obesity, while Ontario came in second with Quebec, P.E.I. and Alberta not far behind.

B.C. and Ontario has the least amount of daily smokers and heavy drinkers.  We find at the bottom of this list Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the three territories.

In the categories of life expectancy, infant mortality, cancer deaths and suicides, Canada received a B overall, ranking 8th in a list of 16 countries.

New Brunswick earned a C, while Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan earned a D.

Other Country Rankings:

Switzerland, Sweden - A

Australia, Norway, France, Japan, Netherlands, Canada, Germany - B

Finland, United Kingdom, Austria, Ireland, Belgium - C

Denmark, United States - D

Canada compared favourably to other countries on risk factors that lead to chronic diseases, but the report indicated that the country's obesity rate is cause for concern, especially childhood obesity.

Measles Outbreak in Canada

3 more cases of measles have been reported in Ontario bringing the total number of infected people in Canada to “22”.

If vaccinating your child is a requirement to register him/her for school, how is it possible that some children are attending school not vaccinated?  Here is the answer to that question. There is an exemption to inoculation if a parent submits a statement informing the school that vaccinating their child goes against their religious beliefs.

Since measles is a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease, there is good reason for concern.

Symptoms of Measles

• High fever
• Cold-like symptoms
• Sore eyes
• Red rash

The Provinces’ Support for Vaccinations

According to the recently released Angus Reid Institute poll, Ontario and Saskatchewan residents are the most supportive of immunization, while Quebec shows the least support.

Get Vaccinated

Canadians should make sure that all their vaccinations are up-to-date. See the recommended routine vaccine schedule for further information.

Go to CAA Health & Dental Insurance for information about health insurance.

The Casualties of the Canadian Public Health Care System

I recently came across an article on Macleans.ca entitled “Our Health Care Delusion” (dated January 2011) that told the story of a 41 year-old man from West Kelowna, B.C. who, in the throes of a mental breakdown, smashed through the Emergency Unit of Kelowna General Hospital with his Chevy Blazer after waiting 90 minutes to see a doctor. Apparently, he had been advised it would be a 45 minute wait which, in truth, isn’t a long waiting time compared to today’s emergency room standards. He snapped when his threats to drive his truck into the hospital if he didn’t get treatment were dismissed by hospital staff.

Liberal MP and medical doctor Keith Martin said “the sorry state of the nation’s emergency wards is just one indicator of trouble today and trouble to come.” Martin, a former family and emergency room doctor, experienced dire situations that eventually prompted him to change professions and go into politics. He said most patients have to endure long wait times for hip and knee replacement surgeries, and others have to live with tumours that could grow into inoperable sizes while waiting months for diagnostic scans. Martin pointed out that, “those are the casualties of our health care system, and the casualties of the inaction of modernizing the system, that people don’t talk about.”

In 2014, Canadian health care will have to deal with the expiration of a 10-year health accord among the federal government, provinces, and territories.  The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) believes that changes to the Canada Health Act should include that Canadians pay small fees or deductibles for using health services in order to discourage people from overusing the system as most other OECD countries do.

Find out what your type of health coverage your province offers.

Existing Health Conditions and Health Insurance

A frequently asked question when seeking health insurance is: If I have an existing health condition, can I still get health and dental insurance?

The answer is: Yes, you can! An existing health condition doesn't exclude you from obtaining a health insurance plan.

With CAA Health and Dental Insurance, prescription drug and dental plans can be added onto a basic extended health insurance plan without medical underwriting.

Basic Health and dental insurance coverage also includes ambulance services up to $4000 in your first year and extends to $5000 by your fourth year of coverage.  Besides routine dental services, there is an accidental coverage that starts at $2000 in your first year of coverage and goes up to $3500 in your fifth year of coverage.

Registered specialists and therapists, as well as home care and nursing, prosthetic appliances, durable medical equipment and many other benefits, are part of the coverage offered by a basic extended health care plan.

Get a quote today!