Final answer:
The federal government shares the cost of provincial hospital insurance plans to guarantee affordable healthcare for all, lessen the financial burdens on provinces, and encourage federal-provincial cooperation. Programs like Medicaid and Medicare exemplify how the government aids specific demographics in accessing healthcare.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of the federal government in sharing the cost of provincial hospital insurance plans is all of the above: to ensure that all citizens have access to affordable healthcare, to reduce the financial burden on provincial governments, and to promote cooperation between the federal and provincial governments. By contributing to the costs of these plans, the federal government supports individuals, specifically those who might struggle with medical bills or lack health insurance. Additionally, programs like Medicare and Medicaid illustrate the government's role in providing healthcare to groups like the elderly, low-income families, veterans, and children from lower-income families.
Medicaid targets those with low incomes, and Medicare provides for individuals over the age of 65. Other specialized programs cover different demographics that may find healthcare unaffordable. Additionally, the establishment of health insurance exchanges aims to foster competition in the insurance market, making health insurance more accessible and affordable to a larger portion of the population.