Health Care in Nova Scotia

Medical Services Insurance

Like all other provinces in Canada, Nova Scotia -- with the assistance of the federal government -- provides a publicly-funded health services program. The Nova Scotia plan, called MSI (Medical Services Insurance) insures eligible residents of Nova Scotia for all medically required physicians' services provided in the doctor's office, at home or in hospital. All necessary surgical services are insured, including the services of anaesthetists and surgical assistants where necessary, as well as obstetrical care, the treatment of fractures and dislocations, referred specialist services and all diagnostic services. MSI also insures certain dental-surgical procedures performed in a hospital.

Primary Care

The Primary care sector operates very similarly to the UK.A patient registers with a family doctor/general practitioner and any referrals to a specialist are directly arranged by the GP. The same applies for outpatient appointments, blood tests etc.

Secondary Care

The hospitals are operated very similarly again to the UK although Nova Scotia boasts quite a few state of the art hospitals and medical centres.

Dental

Dental care is very high on the healthcare list of priorities. Dental Hygiene appears much more thorough and twice yearly visits to the hygienist [at least] are common practice. Fees vary from practitioner to practitioner and children under the age of 10 years receive free dental exams and hygiene[conditions may apply].

Drugs

There is a wide selection of pharmacies in Nova Scotia; most large supermarkets will have a pharmacy; Over the Counter medicines are available to consumers; similar to the UK really.

Prescription drugs are charged to the patient. In other words, you pay for the actual price of the drug; a private health plan will help to subsidize these costs as bills can soon mount up!

[NB; Paracetemol is known as Acetaminophen in Canada]

Seniors

There is a comprehensive pharmaceutical scheme for seniors [those over the age 65 years] that can help supplement the price of prescribed drugs.

Is there a Private Healthcare System?

There is, in essence, no private sector medicine available; there is really no comparable system to say, for example, BUPA; there are however, private medical plans which are helpful in supplementing the provincial plan for drugs, hospital and extended health services, such as physiotherapy etc.

These will also help supplement the cost towards dental treatment.

When gaining employment, it is certainly worth ascertaining the health and dental benefits on offer as this can help tremendously when budgeting your average monthly outgoings!

What happens when you are new?

Landed immigrants or Canadians returning from living outside Canada who establish permanent residence in Nova Scotia become eligible on the day they become a resident of the province. A Canadian citizen or a landed immigrant from inside Canada is eligible for MSI on the first day of the third month he/she became a resident of Nova Scotia. (This is because they continue to be covered during their transition by the province where they were living). People on a work permit are eligible for MSI from the date of issue on the work permit. The work permit must have validity for at least the period of one year. Some conditions apply if the individual is required to leave the Province at any time. Providing family members are included within the permit, they also will be covered for MSI.

Extras

There are many different services available to residents of Nova Scotia, including Emergency Health Services and midwifery services etc.

For more in depth information on the healthcare system in Nova Scotia please read more.