A trend of slow growth in health spending is likely to continue this year.
A report from the Canadian Institute of Health Information says since 2011, health spending has not kept pace with inflation and population growth, declining by an average annual rate of 0.6%.
Additional spending of $3.4 billion this year is projected to bring the total up to $219.1 billion.
That is about $6,105 per Canadian, a $35 increase since 2014.
A little over 60% of all health spending is accounted for by three drivers: hospitals, drugs, and physicians.
Hospitals, including nursing staff, account for 29.5% of that spending – but CIHI says hospital spending is at the lowest rate of growth since the late 1990s.
CIHI noted a 14.5% increase in MD degrees awarded since 2010 which likely will translate to higher physician spending.
