Apparently, the questionable incurred costs for private hospital consultants in Ontario, detailed in a report by the Auditor General recently, aren’t weighing down the whole system.

According to a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, health care spending per person is expected to increase by 1.4% in 2010, the lowest annual growth rate seen in 13 years.

“Jurisdictions have been working to control rising costs, and the slowdown in the growth in health care spending may be, in part, a reflection of that,” said John Wright, CIHI’s President and CEO.

“However, health care remains a priority for Canadians, and we continue to see investment in the system, with health spending growing at a faster rate than population growth. It also continues to represent an important share of our overall economic activity.”

Total spending on health care in Canada is expected to reach $191.6 billion this year, growing an estimated $9.5 billion, or 5.2%, since 2009. The total health expenditure per capita now stands at an estimated $5,614.

Canadians older than age 65 account for less than 14% of the Canadian population; yet they consume nearly 44% of all health care dollars spent by provincial and territorial governments.

Total health care spending continues to vary by province, with spending per person expected to be highest in Alberta and Manitoba at $6,266 and $6,249, respectively. British Columbia and Quebec are forecast to have the lowest health expenditure per capita at $5,355 and $5,096, respectively.

Hospitals, drugs and physician services, in that order, continue to account for the largest share of health dollars. In 2010, spending on hospitals is expected to reach $55.3 billion, spending on drugs will grow to an estimated $31.1 billion and spending on physicians is forecast at $26.3 billion.

Source: CIHI