Who paid for the care?

In 2014–15, the funding sources reported for separations that ended in death differed between public and private hospitals (Figure 19).

In public hospitals, more than three-quarters of patients that died in hospital were publicly funded (76%, 47,952), 17% (10,989) were funded by private health insurance, the Department of Veterans' Affairs funded 6% (3,498) and 1% had other funding sources.

In private hospitals, private health insurance was reported as the funding source for 71% (9,842) of patients that died in hospital, the Department of Veterans' Affairs funded 17% (2,358), 9% (1,210) were publicly funded and 3% had other funding sources.

Figure 19: Proportion of deaths in hospital by funding source and sector, 2014–15

This horizontal bar chart shows the proportion of deaths in hospital by funding source and sector. The chart shows that in public hospitals, more than three-quarters of patients that died in hospital were publicly funded (76%25), 17%25 were funded by private health insurance, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs funded 6%25 and 1%25 had other funding sources. For private hospitals the chart shows, private health insurance was reported as the funding source for 71%25 of patients that died in hospital, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs funded 17%25, 9%25 were publicly funded and 3%25 had other funding sources.

Source: NHMD.