Health system spending on the response to COVID-19 in Australia 2019–20 to 2022–23

During the pandemic from 2019–20 to 2022–23, $30.4 billion or just over half (55%) of total government COVID–19 related health expenditure was spent on primary health care, this included:

• $18.6 billion (61%) for public health activities including the vaccine response ($8.4 billion), personal protective equipment ($4.3 billion), RAT subsidies ($2.9 billion) and communications ($1.4 billion).
• $4.9 billion (16%) for unreferred medical services (MBS) including telehealth ($4.8 billion) and vaccine administration ($0.1 billion).
• $3.9 billion for community health services.
• $1.1 billion for benefit paid pharmaceuticals (PBS).
• $0.9 billion for all other medications (non-benefit paid COVID–19 treatments).
• $0.9 billion for other health practitioner services.

Estimated spending by individuals on primary health care from 2019–20 to 2022–23 was around $1.1 billion spent almost entirely on over–the–counter COVID–19 related products ($1.09 billion). Of the remaining expenditure, $14.3 million was for PBS medications approved by the TGA for the treatment of COVID–19 and unreferred medical services (MBS) such as vaccine suitability assessments and support for patients isolating with COVID–19. These services were all primarily bulk billed with little to no out–of–pocket costs incurred by patients.

Figure 9: Areas of spending for COVID–19, Primary health care, 2019–20 to 2022–23