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Where do we stand in the OECD?

CMAJ 1997;156(3):464

© 1997 Canadian Medical Association

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As a country's income increases, it tends to spend more on health care. Canada has never dropped below fourth or fifth place in terms of health care spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. The most recent (1994) data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) show Canada sharing second place with France and Austria, and ranking third in per capita spending. In terms of the proportion of health expenditures funded by the public purse, however, Canada ranks only 15th among the 24 countries. In 1994, 71.8% of total health expenditures in Canada were funded by government sources.

Most OECD countries have maintained universal coverage under their national health insurance plans over the past decade. Private insurance tends to supplement tax-financed or social-insurance schemes instead of providing primary funding. In the United Kingdom, for instance, National Health Service physicians are allowed to earn up to 10% of their income in private practice. Canada appears to be the only OECD country where legislation prohibits voluntary insurance of services covered under the national plan.

Table: Health expenditures of OECD countries (1994)

Source: Lynda Buske, chief, physician resources information and planning, CMA Research Directorate. Readers are invited to send potential research topics to the attention of Patrick Sullivan (sullip@cma.ca; tel. 613 731-8610 or 800 663-7336, x2126; fax 613 523-0937).

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