Health expenditure Australia 2018-19

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Release Date: 06 Nov 2020

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AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2020) Health expenditure Australia 2018-19, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 4 June 2026, doi:10.25816/ysem-1g13.

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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.

ISBN: 978-1-76054-617-5
DOI: 10.25816/ysem-1g13
Cat. no: HWE 80
Pages: 72

Findings from this report:

Total health expenditure in 2018–19 was $195.7 billion, a real increase of 3.1% over the year
Expenditure per person increased by 1.5% to $7,772
Spending on hospitals was $79.0 billion, an increase of 3.7% compared with the previous year
Private health insurers spent on average $1,532 per person covered by a private hospital insurance policy

Report editions

The data in the most recent report version may not match that published in previous versions below due to improvements and changes in data sources over time.

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This release
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Health expenditure Australia 2013–14
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Health expenditure Australia 2010-11
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Health expenditure Australia 2009-10
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Health expenditure Australia 2008-09
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Health expenditure Australia 2007-08
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Health expenditure Australia 2006-07
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Health expenditure Australia 2005-06
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Health expenditure Australia 2004–05
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Health expenditure Australia 2003-04
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Health expenditure Australia 2002-03
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Health expenditure Australia 2001-02
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Health expenditure Australia 2000–01
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Health expenditure bulletin no. 17 - 1999-00
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Health expenditure bulletin no. 16 - 1998-99
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Health expenditure bulletin no. 15 - 1997-98
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Health expenditure bulletin no. 14 - 1996-97
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Health expenditure bulletin no. 13 - 1995-96
Publication | 13 Jul 1997
Health expenditure bulletin no. 12 - 1982-83 to 1994-95
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Health expenditure bulletin no. 11 - 1982–83 to 1993–94
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Health expenditure bulletins 1 to 10 - 1986–1993
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Health expenditure Australia 2018-19

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