Australia’s health spend
December 14, 2010
ALMOST all areas of health
expenditure experienced growth
above inflation between 2007-08
and 2008-09, according to the
latest report by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare.
In its review, the AIHW found that
the national health expenditure in
Australia reached $112.8 billion in
2008-09, 70% of which was funded
by the federal and state
governments, and the remainder
funded by individuals (16.8%),
private health insurers (7.8%) and
other non-government sources
(5.7%).
The largest increase in health
expenditure was taken up by
spending on public hospitals
($1.6b), with the recurrent
spending on public hospitals in
2008-09 estimated at $32.3b.
The second largest increase in
health expenditure was spending
on medications, which grew by $1.3b.
According to the AIHW in 2008-
09 health expenditure in Australia
made up 9% of the nation’s gross
domestic product, up from 8.8% in
2007-08.
“Health expenditure has risen
more than GDP in percentage
terms for 8 of the past 10 years,” a
statement from the AIHW said.
“Australia’s health expenditure
as a proportion of GDP was very
similar to the UK, slightly lower
than Canada and New Zealand
and considerably lower than the
U.S,” the statement added.
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