Health & welfare expenditure

Regular reporting of national health expenditure is vital to understanding the health system and its relationship to the economy as whole. In 2018–19:

• Total health spending was $195.7 billion, equating to $7,772 per person.
• Health spending increased by 3.1%, which was slightly lower than the decade average of 3.5%.
• The majority of health spending went on hospitals (40.4%) and primary health care (33.5%).
• Health spending accounted for 10% of overall economic activity.

This report includes data from before the COVID-19 pandemic. For data and information that relates to COVID-19, please see our COVID-19 resources.

During 2015–16 an estimated $117.0 billion of recurrent health expenditure was able to be attributed to specific disease groups. This report provides an overview of health expenditure by patient demographics, area of expenditure, and condition being treated or managed. Conditions are reported using the Australian Burden of Disease Study groups and conditions.