Time series comparison

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Introduction Overall rank of disease groups Spending on cancer Ranking of spending on burden of disease conditions by area of expenditure Spending by sex and age group Spending by area of expenditure

Comparisons over time using expenditure expressed in current prices can be misleading due to the effect of inflation and changes in the value of money. In this section expenditure is presented in both current and constant prices. Constant price estimates indicate what spending would have been had the same prices applied across all years. Current price estimates refers to spending not adjusted for movements in prices from one year to the next.

Estimated spending by disease increased by $10.2 billion (in current prices) to $180.4 billion in 2023–24, up from $170.2 billion in 2022–23. This was a growth of 6.0% in nominal terms (current prices) but only a growth of 0.9% in real terms after removing the effects of inflation. This compares to a nominal growth of 5.8% in recurrent health spending in 2023–24 reported in Health expenditure Australia 2023–24 (AIHW 2025a). The disease expenditure database could allocate around 71% of recurrent health spending to disease groups in 2023–24. The large decrease in spending on public health in 2023–24 (–27%) largely contributed to the lower overall growth in recurrent health spending. This was related to the reduction in government spending relating to the COVID–19.

Chronic conditions, also referred to as chronic diseases, non-communicable diseases or long-term health conditions are generally characterised by their long-lasting and persistent effects. There are over 100 burden of disease conditions that are considered to be chronic conditions. In 2023–24, spending on chronic conditions accounted for around $98.2 billion (54% of all disease spending). 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. In constant prices (adjusted for inflation), over the period 2013–14 to 2023–24, total spending by disease and injury grew $47.5 billion, of which $30.7 billion (65%) was due to an increase in spending for chronic conditions.

Overall rank of disease groups

  • For the past 7 years (since 2017–18), spending on cancers and other neoplasms was higher than spending for any other disease group and has more than doubled from $9.1 billion in 2013–14 to $19.7 billion in 2023–24. In real terms (after removing the effects of inflation) spending on cancer has increased 63% since 2013–14.
  • Apart from 2021–22 when spending on infectious diseases was the second highest, the 3 disease groups with the highest spending each year since 2013–14 have been cancers and other neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders (in no particular order), accounting for close to one-third of all disease spending each year.
  • In 2021–22, infectious diseases was the second highest disease group in terms of spending ($15.6 billion), increasing $4.9 billion from $10.7 billion in 2020–21, primarily due to the large amount of spending related to COVID–19 in that year. Spending on infectious diseases has decreased by $2.3 billion to $13.3 billion in 2023–24 and spending on this disease group has dropped back to the fourth highest overall.
  • In 2013–14, musculoskeletal disorders had the highest spending of all disease groups. While spending has continued to increase for musculoskeletal disorders over the period to 2023–24, it dropped to fourth highest for spending in 2021–22, coinciding with COVID–19 lockdowns and the cancellation of elective surgeries. This would have impacted the number of musculoskeletal conditions treated in hospitals in that year.

The following interactive data visualisation (Figure 13) shows the change in rank in terms of overall spending and spending by broad area of expenditure between 2013–14 and 2023–24. Data used to create the visualisation is available to download from the data tables.

Figure 13: Ranking of spending on disease groups, by sex, current and constant prices, 2013–14 to 2023–24

This chart ranks burden of disease groups by sex over the time series 2013–14 to 2023–24. In 2023–24, the highest spending, of the burden of disease groups was for cancer, followed by cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders.

This chart ranks burden of disease groups by sex over the time series 2013–14 to 2023–24. In 2023–24, the highest spending, of the burden of disease groups was for cancer, followed by cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders.

The following interactive data visualisation (Figure 14) shows the change in rank in terms of overall spending and spending by broad area of expenditure between 2013–14 and 2023–24. Data used to create the visualisation is available to download from the data tables.

Figure 14: Ranking of spending on disease groups, by broad area of expenditure, current prices, 2013–14 to 2023–24

This bar graph ranks burden of disease groups by broad areas of expenditure for each year. In 2023–24, the highest spending in hospitals was for cardiovascular diseases followed by cancer and musculoskeletal disorders.

This bar graph ranks burden of disease groups by broad areas of expenditure for each year. In 2023–24, the highest spending in hospitals was for cardiovascular diseases followed by cancer and musculoskeletal disorders.

Spending on cancer

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 ($1.9 billion) spent on this condition. Ranking second highest was non-melanoma skin cancers followed by bowel cancer and breast cancer. In 2023–24 spending for these top 4 cancers was similar at between $1.8 and $1.9 billion.

The top 5 specific cancers in terms of spending between 2013–14 and 2023–24 were lung cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and prostate cancer.

The following data visualisation (Figure 15) shows the top 10 specific cancers in terms of spending in 2023–24 and how spending has grown for these cancers since 2013–14. Spending is presented in current prices. Data used to create the visualisation is available to download from the data tables.

Figure 15: Spending on the top 10 cancers in 2023–24 compared to 2013–14

This bar graph illustrates how spending on the top 10 specific cancers in 2023–24 has grown since 2013–14 in current and constant prices. Spending on lung cancer was the highest in 2023–24 and fifth highest in 2013–14.

This bar graph illustrates how spending on the top 10 specific cancers in 2023–24 has grown since 2013–14 in current and constant prices. Spending on lung cancer was the highest in 2023–24 and fifth highest in 2013–14.

Ranking of spending on burden of disease conditions by area of expenditure

The following data visualisation (Figure 16) shows the ranking of spending on diseases by area of expenditure. Data used to create the visualisation is available to download from the data tables.

Figure 16: Ranking of spending on diseases, by area of expenditure, current and constant prices, 2013–14 to 2023–24

This chart ranks the 10 burden of disease conditions with the highest spending by area of expenditure over the time series 2013-14 to 2023-24. In 2023-24, the highest spending, was for falls.

This chart ranks the 10 burden of disease conditions with the highest spending by area of expenditure over the time series 2013-14 to 2023-24. In 2023-24, the highest spending, was for falls.

Spending by sex and age group

  • Early in the period from 2013–14 to 2016–17, spending peaked for both males and females in the 65–69 year age group. Since 2017–18, spending has peaked slightly later in the 70–74 year age group.
  • For Infectious diseases, the 1–4 year and 85+ years age groups had the highest share of spending for both males and females for most years in the period 2013–14 to 2023–24. In 2021–22 during the height of the COVID–19 pandemic, spending for infectious diseases peaked in the 30–34 year age group.
  • Since 2017–18, spending on cancers has peaked in the age group 70–74 years for both males and females.

The following interactive data visualisation (Figure 17) shows the spending on disease groups by broad area of expenditure, age group and sex in current and constant prices between 2013–14 and 2023–24. Expenditure can be displayed as totals or as expenditure per 100,000 population. Data used to create the visualisation is available to download from the data tables.

Figure 17: Spending on disease groups, by age group and sex, 2013–14 to 2023–24 ($ million)

This butterfly bar chart illustrates the distribution of spending across age groups and sexes for disease groups over a ten-year period. A consistent trend shows that spending increases for males with age and peaks between 70 and 79 years. In contrast, female spending is notably high in the 30–34 age group, with another peak occurring between 70 and 79 years.

This butterfly bar chart illustrates the distribution of spending across age groups and sexes for disease groups over a ten-year period. A consistent trend shows that spending increases for males with age and peaks between 70 and 79 years. In contrast, female spending is notably high in the 30–34 age group, with another peak occurring between 70 and 79 years.

Spending by area of expenditure

  • Spending on infectious diseases across the period 2013–14 to 2023–24 has shown the most variation. The impact of COVID–19, resulted in a large increase in spending in 2021–22 in particular. Earlier in the decade, in 2016–17, there was an increase in spending for medicines on the PBS used to treat infectious diseases in that year, namely the inclusion of ledipasvir+sofosbuvir, which is primarily used to treat hepatitis C.
  • Throughout the period 2013–14 to 2023–24, musculoskeletal disorders had the highest share of spending for admitted patients in private hospitals.
  • For the past 5 years (since 2019–20), PBS spending on cancers and other neoplasms was more than double the spending of the next highest disease group.

The following interactive data visualisation (Figure 18) shows the spending on disease groups by area of expenditure in current and constant prices between 2013–14 and 2023–24. Expenditure can be displayed as totals or as expenditure per 100,000 population. Data used to create the visualisation is available to download from the data tables.

Figure 18: Spending on disease groups, by area of expenditure, current prices, 2013–14 to 2023–24 ($ million)

This stacked bar chart presents a detailed breakdown of expenditure by disease group and area of expenditure over a ten-year period. It reveals a consistent rise in spending across all categories. For mental health and substance use disorders there was a peak in spending in 2021–22 (in constant prices – prices adjusted for inflation) during the peak of the COVID–19 pandemic.

This stacked bar chart presents a detailed breakdown of expenditure by disease group and area of expenditure over a ten-year period. It reveals a consistent rise in spending across all categories. For mental health and substance use disorders there was a peak in spending in 2021–22 (in constant prices – prices adjusted for inflation) during the peak of the COVID–19 pandemic.

AIHW (2025a) Health expenditure Australia 2023–24, AIHW, Australian Government.

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