Advertisement

Health spending in Canada to reach $242B this year: report

Click to play video: 'Federal government commits to $200 billion in healthcare spending with the provinces'
Federal government commits to $200 billion in healthcare spending with the provinces
Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau committed $200 billion over the next five years to help the provinces cover the cost of physical and mental health services in 11 provinces and territories – Mar 22, 2017

TORONTO – Health spending in Canada is expected to reach $6,604 per capita this year – or about $200 more per person compared to last year – according to a report released Tuesday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

It forecasts total health spending for the year to increase almost four per cent to $242 billion and equal 11.5 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product, similar to last year.

The Institute says the growth rate is slightly higher than the annual average of 3.2 per cent that has been recorded since 2010.

READ MORE: Doctor assisted deaths could reduce health care spending, report says

The report says total health spending per person is expected to vary across the country, from $7,378 in Newfoundland and Labrador and $7,329 in Alberta to $6,367 in Ontario and $6,321 in British Columbia.

Story continues below advertisement

Hospitals, at 28.3 per cent, are expected to eat up use the largest share of health dollars in 2017 as they have since 1997, followed by drugs at 16.4 per cent and physician services at 15.4 per cent.

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: Innovation needed to fix Canada’s health care system

Drug spending is expected to grow the fastest, reaching an estimated 5.2 per cent this year. Physician spending growth is forecast to grow 4.4 per cent and spending on hospitals is estimated to grow by 2.9 per cent.

On an international basis, the report says Canada’s health spending per person in 2015 was $5,681, similar to spending in France Australia and the United Kingdom.

Per capita spending remained highest in the United States at C$11,916.

VIDEO: Canadians prioritize healthcare spending, poll says

Click to play video: 'Canadians prioritize healthcare spending: Ipsos poll'
Canadians prioritize healthcare spending: Ipsos poll

Sponsored content

AdChoices