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 Canadian
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Data released last year indicate that Canada tied for fourth among 27 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1998 in terms of health spending as a percentage of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The United States devoted the highest percentage of GDP to health (13.6%), followed by Germany (10.6%) and Switzerland (10.4%). Canada was tied with France at 9.5% of GDP Canada's relative position and spending level have been steady for several years.
Canada also placed fifth in per-capita spending on health, behind the US, Switzerland, Germany and Norway. Canada spent $2312 per person on health in 1998 ($US purchasing power parity), compared with $1461 spent in the United Kingdom. Per-capita spending in the US, at $4178, more than doubled that of Australia, $2036. When public spending as a percentage of total health expenditures is considered, Canada fell to 18th position. The OECD data show that 69.6% of total spending was financed by the public purse in 1998, although recent statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicate that this percentage is increasing and is estimated to stand at 70.4% in 2000. — Lynda Buske, buskel@cma.ca
Copyright 2001 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors |
