Further increase

Austria’s healthcare expenditure remains “moderate”

Healthcare expenditure in Austria increased moderately in 2022 and amounted to 49.9 billion euros. That is 11.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), Statistics Austria calculated on Wednesday. The figure is therefore lower than an initial estimate from last June, when it was assumed that the amount would exceed 50 billion euros for the first time in 2022. Corona-related expenditure has fallen.

In 2021, healthcare expenditure still accounted for 49.2 billion euros and 12.2 percent of GDP. "The share of healthcare expenditure in economic output fell from 12.2 percent in 2021 to 11.2 percent in 2022 because nominal gross domestic product rose even more sharply than healthcare expenditure," explained Statistics Austria Director General Tobias Thomas.

Average in an OECD comparison
In an OECD comparison, Austria ranks eighth in terms of the proportion of GDP spent on current healthcare expenditure (average: 9.2 percent). In first place are the USA (16.6 percent), Germany (12.7 percent) and France (12.1 percent).

Private expenditure - for example by private households, voluntary health insurers or companies - accounted for 11.2 billion euros or 22.4 percent of current healthcare expenditure. (2021: 10.7 billion euros or 21.8 percent). However, a large part of this is public expenditure: The federal government, federal states, municipalities and social insurance providers accounted for 38.7 billion euros (77.6 percent) of current healthcare expenditure.

Corona expenditure decreased
This is an increase of 0.5% compared to 2021, which is well below the average increase of 4.8% between 2004 and 2021. According to Statistics Austria, the reason for this development is the decline in additional expenditure due to the coronavirus, which was mainly publicly financed - around 1.1 billion euros less was needed for the procurement, implementation and provision of corona tests and for contact tracing. Public pandemic-related healthcare expenditure fell by 2.1 billion euros to 2.9 billion euros compared to 2021.

The fact that healthcare expenditure remained at a high level is therefore due to expenditure outside of the pandemic. For example, public spending on treatment in private practice, inpatient rehabilitation and medication rose at an above-average rate.

14.7 billion euros in public funds went to fund hospitals, including outpatient clinics. The most was spent on those in Vienna (4.2 billion euros), mainly due to the number of patients and inhabitants, and the least on those in Burgenland (318 million euros).