Question

what is the meaning of the word in bold?
in the american debate on health - care reform, the systems of many other countries, e.g., the canadian health - care system, have been examined as possible alternatives. canada provides universal care to its citizens yet spends less of its gross domestic product on health care than the united states.
also called
and so on
that is to say
for example

Explanation:

The bolded term "e.g.," is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "exempli gratia". It is used in writing to introduce one or more specific examples that illustrate a broader statement or category, which matches its use here (introducing the Canadian health-care system as an example of a foreign system examined in the US health-care reform debate).

Answer:

"e.g." is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "exempli gratia", meaning "for example" — it is used to introduce specific instances that illustrate a general idea.