Diabetes costs $1.5 billion
July 19, 2013
SPENDING on diabetes in Austrlia
soared 86% between 2000/01
and 2008/09, according to a
report released this week by the
Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare (AIHW).
After adjusting for inflation this
figure compared with a rise of 60%
for all diseases combined.
Diabetes Expenditure in Australia
2008-09 says that total allocated
health-care spending on diabetes
was about $1.5 billion, or 2.3% of
the national health-care costs.
For hospital admitted patient
services the spending was
“conservatively estimated” to be
about $647 million, while spending
on out-of-hospital medical
expenses amounted to $362 million
and for blood-glucose-lowering
medications the figure was $498m.
Spending growth was fastest for
patients admitted to hospital, with
this figure more than doubling over
the eight year period.
An additional $153 million was
spent on government programs and
subsidies, research and gestational
diabetes programs.
In 2011-12 around 999,000
Australians had diabetes, or about
4.6% of the Australian population.
“The number of Australians with
diabetes is rising and the increase
in spending partly reflects this,” said
AIHW spokesperson Susana Senes.
“Other factors that may lead
to expenditure increases include
patient choices, changes to patient
treatment and management
options, access and costs.”
In Australia around 85% of those
with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes
and around 12% have Type 1
diabetes.
At least 60% of diabetes
expenditure in 2008–09 was for
Type 2 diabetes which contributed
overwhelmingly to the increases.
Other factors cited as having an
influence on diabetes spending
included the ageing population,
increasing levels of obesity, higher
rates of disease recognition and
increased longevity.
To view the report CLICK HERE.
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