the auditor-general’s report on BC Health care does not question details of B.C.’s large health care budget however it does point out that spending on health promotion and prevention measures, touted by the government in recent throne speeches, accounts for less than 5 per cent of all health care dollars.

Total Budget is 15.5 Billion dollars.

Spending on health promotion has declined in some regional health authorities.The government has identified the prevention side of health care as a priority area, with the idea being that, if we prevent people from getting ill, there will be savings in the whole system.

Over the past four years, spending by the Interior Health Authority on “population health and wellness” has declined to $52-million from $57.6-million.

The auditor-general’s report found that physicians and other health care professionals receive 25 per cent of all health care funds, PharmaCare accounted for 7 per cent, and acute care costs gobbled up nearly 50 per cent of the budget.