Healthcare spending in 2023 has experienced a significant increase, with total spending projected to reach 249 billion euros, marking a 5.2% rise compared to previous years. This surge is attributed to a robust demand for hospital care, outpatient services, and pharmaceuticals.
Hospital care accounted for 122 billion euros, representing nearly 49% of total healthcare expenditure. This rise is largely driven by escalating hospital wages and the impact of rising energy prices. The growth in hospital care spending is substantial, with hospital services contributing more than half of the overall increase in healthcare expenditure.
Outpatient care has also seen a notable increase, with total spending reaching 72 billion euros, reflecting a 5.7% rise. The demand for specialist medical services has surged, with spending on specialist doctors rising by 6.6% between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, the costs associated with medical transport have escalated dramatically, with a reported increase of 10.8%.
Spending on pharmaceuticals has also risen for the third consecutive year, reaching 33 billion euros. This increase is attributed to the effects of innovation in drug development, despite a slight decline of 1.1% in the number of reimbursable drug boxes dispensed in pharmacies. In response to the escalating costs of drug spending, the government has announced measures aimed at curbing these expenses.
The financing structure of healthcare expenditure has undergone notable changes since 2019. In 2023, Social Security and the State accounted for 80.1% of healthcare and medical goods expenditure, an increase of 1.5 percentage points from 2019. In contrast, the share financed by complementary organizations has decreased to 12.4%, down by 0.7 percentage points, while households now contribute 7.5%, a decline of 0.9 percentage points.