Today, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, tabled the 2024-2025 Canada Health Act Annual Report in Parliament. Developed by the Government of Canada in collaboration with provincial and territorial (PT) governments, the Report provides information on the federal administration of the Canada Health Act (CHA) and the extent to which PT health care insurance plans have fulfilled its requirements.
Upholding the Act is critical to protecting Canadian health care and the values that sustain it. The federal government has taken a collaborative approach with all PTs to ensure all Canadians continue to have equitable access to medically necessary care based on their medical needs, not their ability to pay.
The Government of Canada remains committed to the principles of the CHA, which are linked to federal payments to PTs under the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). If a PT permits patient charges for medically necessary services, a mandatory dollar-for-dollar deduction must be taken from the jurisdiction's CHT. PTs that face these deductions can be reimbursed through the CHA Reimbursement Policy if they work with Health Canada on a plan to eliminate patient charges and their underlying causes, and then implement that plan within two years of the deduction having been taken.
In 2025-26, PTs will receive $54.7 billion through the CHT, an increase of 5% over the 2024-25 transfer of $52.1 billion. By 2026-27, the CHT is set to grow by an additional 5% to over $57 billion.
Today's report covers deductions from fiscal year 2024-25 and reimbursements for prior years. Over $62.2 million in deductions and $51.9 million in reimbursements were made to PT CHT payments. These federal actions reinforce the principle aim of the CHA, which is not to levy penalties, but to ensure patients do not pay for medically necessary services already paid for by their taxes.
The Government of Canada upholds the principles of the CHA while working closely with all PTs to ensure Canadians have access to the care they need.
