ZamCare

Logos of
ZamCare

File:ZamCare logo.png

Logo of ZamCare

ZamCare is an unofficial designation used to refer to the publicly funded single-payer healthcare system of Zamastan. Zamastan's health care system consists of 13 provincial and territorial health insurance plans, which provide universal healthcare coverage to Zamastanian citizens, permanent residents, and certain temporary residents. The systems are individually administered on a provincial or territorial basis, within guidelines set by the federal government. The formal terminology for the insurance system is provided by the Zamastan Health Act of 1974 and the health insurance legislation of the individual provinces and territories. ZamCare healthcare provides coverage for approximately 70 percent of Zamastan's healthcare needs, and the remaining 30 percent is paid for through the private sector. The 30 percent typically relates to services not covered or only partially covered by ZamCare, such as prescription drugs, eye care, and dentistry. Approximately 65 to 75 percent of Zamastanians have some form of supplementary health insurance related to the aforementioned reasons; many receive it through their employers or use secondary social service programs related to extended coverage for families receiving social assistance or vulnerable demographics, such as seniors, minors, and those with disabilities.

History

Prior to the World War, health care in Zamastan was privately funded and delivered, with the exception of services provided to the sick poor that were financed by local governments. The traumatic economic experiences of the 1930s and 40s left many Zamastanian in challenging financial situations. As personal financial situations deteriorated, the municipal governments were overwhelmed. Though the provinces provided relief payments for food, clothing, and shelter, additional medical costs were beyond the capacity of most of the provincial budgets. Many Zamastanians were not receiving adequate medical care, and those that did were overwhelmed with the associated costs. As such, preventable diseases and deaths were still common occurrences.

Ten years of economic depression, followed by six years of worldwide war, formed the social context of ambitious White Book federal proposals. In a bid for unprecedented cooperation between the federal and provincial governments, these initiatives formed the foundations of a national program for social security, including provisions for health insurance. However, the failure to come to a consensus on the required allocation of tax resources at the Dominion-Provincial Conference in August 1955 precluded adoption and delayed subsequent action. Although the White Book proposals were not adopted, they effectively created an appetite for government-funded health services.