This is indeed a pretty sweet deal. In the US anything outside of teeth cleaning might result in personal bankruptcy, depending on employment situation.
Yup. In Canada, hard-core health care is quick, cheap and amazingly efficient. Any thing that can seriously screw with you is covered 100%. People with a cancer diagnosis get started on treatment within days. Pregnancies are smooth and straightforward, even more so if there are complications. Trauma is just the same as an American hospital.
The Canadian system slips a little when it comes to non life threatening issues that could be considered "quality of life" concerns. Knee and hip surgeries, elective procedures, chronic conditions, non serious specialist procedures (dependent on field)
There is a movement here to expand private health care into these areas. Personally, I support such a move but in Canada we have a group as pig headed about "no private health care" as you do about "no public health care" which makes things a little difficult.
net of teeth cleaning, it is included in the $0 basic packages (paid by taxes, so of course you pay for it if you pay taxes. But you get it even if you never worked and are unemployed and never paid taxes. Also, the taxes are independent of any "pre-existing condition" or anything like that).
Dental is not included in the $0 package. A dental package likely includes cleaning, for less than $1000 a year, yes.
Some provinces have emergency dental care for minors covered under their health plans, which is a nice thing, too. A root canal can be an expensive procedure.
