As in all of Canada, health services mostly are free. In 2023, the federal government also introduced limited pharmaceutical coverage and dental coverage. This is in marked contrast to the American system of health insurance, which covers only a small segment of the population and does not provide free medicine. However, each province administers its own health care services and determines where federal and provincial health money will be spent.
Some provinces, such as Alberta, levy a premium that all citizens of the province must pay. Additionally, the cost for services in each province varies so fees for a procedure in one province will be different than in the adjacent one. For example, British Columbia charges more for specific services than Manitoba. When a Manitoban visits BC and uses health services, the province of Manitoba reimburses BC whatever rate Manitoba charges and the citizen who used BC health care is responsible for the difference. Here, Canadians travelling from province to province should learn whether they will be travelling to a more expensive province and then purchase supplemental health coverage to cover the difference.
Our health care has some gaps and delays in diagnostic services, but emergency services are relatively swift and comprehensive in urban centres. There currently is a shortage of medical staff, which leads to lengthy waits for surgery in some cases.
We have many assisted living and supportive living facilities and adequate extended care, but more beds are needed as the population ages.
Manitoba has a large number of pharmacies and prescribed medicines must be authorized by a doctor and distributed by written prescription by those pharmacists. Because of central buying policies, almost all our prescription drugs are less expensive than in the USA, but comparable to Mexico, which also has extended health coverage.