Dutton warns of cost pressures
June 26, 2014
FEDERAL Health Minister,
Peter Dutton, says a new report
released yesterday highlights the
sharply rising costs being faced by
Australia’s health system.
Australia’s Health 2014, produced
by the Australian Institute of Health
& Welfare reported that total
health spending in 2011-12 was just
over $140 billion, up 70% in real
terms over just ten years.
“The report shows that health
expenditure has grown in real
terms at an average rate of 5.4%
per year in the past decade, far
outstripping growth in the broader
economy, which has only been
growing at 3.1%,” he said.
Dutton said health spending per
person had risen from $4,276 in
2001-02 to $6,230 in 2011-12.
The biennial Australia’s Health
report is the most comprehensive
analysis of the health of Australians
and their health system, he said.
The report found that chronic
diseases accounted for 90% of
all deaths in 2011 and were also
the leading cause of illness and
disability in Australia.
Dutton said that in many
cases serious conditions such as
cardiovascular disease, diabetes
and cancer are “heavily linked to
lifestyle decisions.”
“Unless we can turn around
our disturbingly high rates of
overweight and obesity, lack of
exercise and poor diet, more and
more of us will develop these
serious illnesses,” he added.
Dutton said the report vindicated
the government’s move to build
sustainability into the health
system by introducing the $7 GP copayment
in the May budget.
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