‘Australia had the seventh lowest additional health spending out of 36 countries,’ AIHW spokesman Geoff Callaghan said.
A total of $47.9 billion (US$32 billion), or 7.2 percent of overall health spending was billed in the response to COVID-19 in Australia between 2019-20 and 2021-22, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Three-quarters ($35.1 billion) was contributed by the Australian government, and a quarter was contributed by state and territory governments ($11.9 billion).
$27.9 billion went to primary care, including public health spending on the vaccine rollout ($6.1 billion), and public hospitals ($10.5 billion).
Individuals spent an estimated $900 million on COVID-19-related health goods and services such as rapid antigen tests, personal protective equipment, and sanitisers.
‘Lowest Spending Out of 36 countries’
However, the $48 billion was only 2 percent in excess of the expectation based on the AIHW’s linear forecast of the preceding 10…
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