A matter of perspective

You are absolutely correct in saying the people pay for the medical in a round about way. The thing is everybody is covered, if they pay taxes or not.

As it is in (almost) every other civilized industrial country in the world.

For you Americans (leave it alone, Rob), Canadian medicare funds are distributed by the federal government - the "single payer" - to the provinces, who administer their own versions of healthcare. Most provinces provide their residents with either 6 or 7 months' coverage out-of-province, which includes medical expenses incurred in either the USA or Mexico. The home province covers expenses up to what would be paid, had the medical services been provided within that province. That means that most medical expenses incurred in Mexico are usually re-imbursed in full, or at the very least, in large part. The problem for Canadians is getting sick or injured in the good 'ole USA, where the cost of a day in a Canadian hospital gets you a Jell-O dessert in the USA.