Last year, Austria spent 52.28 billion euros on healthcare – 4.8 percent more than in 2022. Although expenditure fell due to the corona pandemic, the public sector had to dig deeper into its pockets for other healthcare services.
According to Statistics Austria, the share of public and private healthcare expenditure in economic output fell from 11.2 to 10.9 percent, as nominal GDP rose even faster than healthcare expenditure in 2023. However, it is “still above pre-pandemic levels,” general manager Tobias Thomas said in a broadcast.
More money for intramural care
Pandemic-related healthcare spending will again fall significantly in 2023, according to the first estimate published on Wednesday. “But above all, government spending on inpatient services and treatment in private practice has driven up costs,” says Thomas of Statistics Austria.
In 2023, the federal government, states, municipalities and social insurers were responsible for 77.1 percent of current healthcare expenditure, or 40.33 billion euros. Compared to 2022, expenditure increased by 4.2 percent. Expenditure related to the corona pandemic again fell sharply by 1.81 billion euros. Other public healthcare expenditure – for example for hospitals, treatments in the private sector, in long-term care or for medical devices – simultaneously increased by 9.6 percent.
Significant increase in private household spending
Healthcare expenditure by private households, voluntary health insurers, private non-profit organizations and companies amounted to 11.95 billion euros in 2023, which is 22.9 percent of current healthcare expenditure. Compared to 2022, this is an increase in expenditure of 6.7 percent; between 2015 and 2022 there was only an average increase of 2.8 percent per year.
Source: Krone
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