Health Care spending declines as % of economy

This year's National Health Expenditures Trends is out. It expects per capita health care spending increases in 2010 and 2011 to grow at 4.7% and 2.8% respectively. "When adjusted for inflation and for population changes, real rates of increase are expected to be 2.0% in 2010 and 0.6% in 2011."

Total public sector spending is expected to increase 6.0% in 2010 and 2.99% in 2011. Private sector spending is expected to increase more rapidly, at 5.66% in 2010 and 6.25% in 2011. That is about 3% higher than public sector increases over the two years.

With modest total spending increases, total health expenditure in Canada is forecast to fall from 11.9% of the economy in 2010 to 11.6% in 2011.

Private health care insurance costs have been increasing more rapidly than other forms of private payment. Private health insurance expenditure per capita increased from $139.4 in 1988 to $648.9 in 2009. Yesterday, group insurance companies providing private health care insurance reported increased costs of 15% in 2010 and 14.38% in 2011.

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