Canada is renowned for many things, but hockey, maple syrup, and its federally funded health care system are probably right at the top of the list. Although Canadian citizens’ health benefits are funded by the government, all health care services are provided via the private sector. Additionally, many employers will provide health benefits for employees, and also offer options for them to design benefit plans that fit their needs.

The Canada Health Act of 1984 was enacted to oversee the implementation and distribution of health care benefits among Canada’s citizenship. In order to receive their benefits, Canadians must obtain their health care via licensed physicians or in facilities that are recognized as hospitals.

However, the amount of health care provided by the Canadian government is not always enough for citizens, especially for families. Subsequently, many Canadians choose to purchase supplemental health care insurance from private insurance companies. Also, like in the United States, many Canadian employers offer employee benefits insurance packages to their employees that include supplemental employee health insurance.

What may sound odd to their American neighbors is that a recent survey showed that roughly half of Canadian employers are concerned that their employees do not have enough health insurance coverage. This might seem strange to Americans, because most U.S. businesses do everything in their power to save on the cost of employee benefits by providing them with the least amount of benefits possible. The only exceptions would be the relatively few ethical businesses that genuinely care about their employees; or instances that involve keeping the most highly valued employees on board.

As far as Canadian employers are concerned, many depend on the leading employee health benefits services to provide them with competitive group health insurance rates on high-quality group health plans, or to help them to design benefit plans that are right for them and their employees.

The bottom line is Canadian employees can enjoy thorough and flexible health care coverage at affordable rates. If they are lucky enough to work for employers who provide supplemental benefits, the coverage and cost is even better.