Summary
Spending by disease and injury increased by $10.2 billion to $180.4 billion in 2023–24, up from $170.2 billion in 2022–23.
Of the $180.4 billion, close to two-thirds was for hospital services ($114.1 billion), over one-quarter for primary health care ($50.0 billion) with the remaining spending for referred medical services ($16.3 billion).
In 2023–24 the highest spending was for cancer ($19.7 billion), followed by cardiovascular diseases ($16.9 billion), and musculoskeletal disorders ($16.3 billion). Cancer also had the highest burden, or human cost of disease in 2024. Second highest in terms of disease burden was mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Spending on cancer more than doubled from $9.1 billion in 2013–14 to $19.7 billion in 2023–24 and has been the highest ranked disease group in terms of spending since 2017–18. In 2023–24, for the first time, spending on lung cancer ranked higher than spending on any other specific cancer with close to $2 billion spent on this condition.
Cancer, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders, were the top 3 disease groups in all but one year over the period 2013–14 to 2023–24, accounting for close to one-third of spending each year.
Spending on chronic conditions (often referred to as long-term health conditions), accounted for around $98 billion in 2023–24, over half (54%) of all disease spending in 2023–24. Over the period 2013–14 to 2023–24, total spending by disease and injury grew $78.1 billion (in current prices), of which $47.1 billion (60%) was due to an increase in spending for chronic conditions.
The conditions with the highest spending in 2023–24 were injuries from falls ($5.4 billion), osteoarthritis ($4.8 billion) and back pain and problems ($4.0 billion). This was followed by spending on coronary heart disease ($3.8 billion) and lower respiratory infections (which includes influenza and pneumonia) ($3.7 billion).
In 2023–24, there was higher spending for females ($96 billion) than males ($85 billion). Spending peaked in the 70–74 year age group for females and 75–79 year age group for males.
There was $13.9 billion spent on well care in 2023–24. The majority of this spending (81%) was for routine dental checkups and cleaning and pregnancy and postpartum care.
For the first time, expenditure on disease and injury is reported by remoteness and on a per person basis. Dental expenditure is now available by age group and sex and there is a new section that presents spending on Australia’s population-based screening programs.
This report uses a range of modelling techniques to apportion health spending to population groups based on age and sex, and to Australian Burden of Disease Study (ABDS) groups and to conditions within those groups. Whilst findings in this report are based on estimates (rather than direct observations) these data provide important insights into the nature and drivers of health spending, such as how an ageing population affects health spending.