Since the creation of Canada’s health care system in the 1960s, certain services have never been deemed “medically necessary” and are therefore excluded from public coverage. This study examines perceptions regarding the expansion of public health insurance coverage to include these services, drawing on a survey conducted in March 2025 with a representative sample of 1,000 individuals. It analyses the level of support for extending the public plan to include coverage for services provided by psychologists, as well as for extending coverage to home care for people with loss of autonomy, dental care, and services provided by optometrists and physiotherapists.

The results suggest that support for universal coverage of psychological services is lower than for some currently non-covered services but higher than for others. Coverage for home care for people experiencing a decrease in autonomy receives the strongest support. A majority of respondents report being willing to pay higher taxes or contributions in order for this service to be covered under the public plan. Support for expanding coverage is linked to self-interest and ideological considerations. The more positively individuals perceive their own mental health, the less they believe psychological services should be prioritized. People with more left-leaning political views are more inclined to support extending coverage to include psychological services. Conversely, the more individuals identify with right-leaning political orientations, the less willing they are to pay more to broaden universal health care coverage.