The cost of health care

Each year from 1996 to 2001, total private and public spending on health care per person rose in Canada (adjusted for inflation). For 2003, private and public spending on health care reached $3,800 per person, or $121 billion.

From 1997 to 2002, private and public health care costs climbed over 43%. Almost half of the increase stemmed from rising public expenditures. In 2002, 70% of Canada’s health care dollars, or $79 billion, came from the public purse.

Canada spent 9.3% of its gross domestic product on health care in 2001, up from 7.3% in 1981. Only three G8 countries spent more in 2000: the United States (13.0%), Germany (10.6%) and France (9.5%).