Health expenditure and sources of funding, 2021
During the COVID-19 epidemic in 2021, health expenditure more than a tenth higher
In 2021, current health expenditure (excluding capital formation) amounted to just over EUR 4.9 billion. Most funds were used for services of curative care and for medical goods. General government expenditure increased by 12.4% compared to 2020.
Current health expenditure 11.6% higher than a year before
In 2021, current expenditure on health care, i.e. expenditure excluding capital formation (representing current expenditure on final consumption of health goods and services), increased by 11.6% over the previous year and amounted to more than EUR 4.9 billion. As percentage of GDP, this was 9.5%, which is almost one percentage point more than in the pre-COVID-19 year of 2019.
Expenditure for hospital and residential care twice as high as expenditure for other groups of expenditure by activity of providers
Expenditure for services in hospitals and in nursing and residential care facilities represented 43.1% of total current health expenditure, expenditure for outpatient ambulatory health care 26.3% and expenditure for medical goods (retailers and other providers of medical goods) 20.7%.
During the epidemic, state budget funding higher
The relationship between public and private sources in health care financing has not changed significantly over the years: the share of public sources of health care financing was 73.7% and the share of private sources 26.3%. As far as the trends in sources are concerned, compared to 2020 both private and public sources increased in 2021: by 9.2% and 12.4%, respectively (with a significant increase in state budget funding related to the COVID-19 epidemic).
The primary source of funding health care is social security funds. In 2021, they covered a little less than two thirds of current health expenditure.
Household out-of-pocket expenditure up by 15%
In the structure of private sources the share of voluntary health insurance schemes was 47.0%, household out-of-pocket payment 49.1%, enterprise financing schemes (for annual medical check-ups) 3.4% and NPISH (non-profit institutions serving households) 0.5%.
Household consumption of health services and goods amounted to EUR 638 million, which was 15.3% more than in the previous year. Most out-of-pocket expenditure (co-payments for health services or self-payment) was spent for medical goods (49.8%), followed by expenses for outpatient curative care (44.4%), whereby dental services accounted for 11.6% of all out-of-pocket payments in the form of co-payments.
Most health care funds used for services of curative care, for medical goods and for long-term care
A little more than three quarters (75.9%) of current health expenditure was used for services of curative care and for medical goods. They were followed by expenditures on long-term care services (health).
Compared to 2020, expenditure on curative care increased by 11.4% and expenditure on medical goods by 8.6%. In this comparison, expenditure for preventive care increased significantly due to the epidemic.
Increase in expenditure on long-term care of infirm, ill and disabled people
Expenditure for the health part of long-term care of infirm, ill and disabled people amounted to EUR 537 million (10.1% more than in 2020) and for the social part to EUR 201 million (4.1% more than in 2020). Total nominal growth of long-term care expenditure was 8.4%. In percentage share, this was 1.4% of GDP.
Expenditure intended for the provision of long-term care at home (health part) higher
The largest part of the health part of long-term care (55.7%) was intended for care in institutions; 44.0% was intended for the provision of home-based long-term care, either in the form of services or as care provided by providers of community nursing care, providers of home help service, personal assistance and family assistants or in the form of cash benefits. Slightly less than half a percent was intended for day cases of long-term care.
Compared to 2020, home-based long-term care expenditure (health part) was higher, i.e. by 27.6%.
In 2021, current expenditure on health care, i.e. expenditure excluding capital formation (representing current expenditure on final consumption of health goods and services), increased by 11.6% over the previous year and amounted to more than EUR 4.9 billion. As percentage of GDP, this was 9.5%, which is almost one percentage point more than in the pre-COVID-19 year of 2019.
Expenditure for hospital and residential care twice as high as expenditure for other groups of expenditure by activity of providers
Expenditure for services in hospitals and in nursing and residential care facilities represented 43.1% of total current health expenditure, expenditure for outpatient ambulatory health care 26.3% and expenditure for medical goods (retailers and other providers of medical goods) 20.7%.
During the epidemic, state budget funding higher
The relationship between public and private sources in health care financing has not changed significantly over the years: the share of public sources of health care financing was 73.7% and the share of private sources 26.3%. As far as the trends in sources are concerned, compared to 2020 both private and public sources increased in 2021: by 9.2% and 12.4%, respectively (with a significant increase in state budget funding related to the COVID-19 epidemic).
The primary source of funding health care is social security funds. In 2021, they covered a little less than two thirds of current health expenditure.
Household out-of-pocket expenditure up by 15%
In the structure of private sources the share of voluntary health insurance schemes was 47.0%, household out-of-pocket payment 49.1%, enterprise financing schemes (for annual medical check-ups) 3.4% and NPISH (non-profit institutions serving households) 0.5%.
Household consumption of health services and goods amounted to EUR 638 million, which was 15.3% more than in the previous year. Most out-of-pocket expenditure (co-payments for health services or self-payment) was spent for medical goods (49.8%), followed by expenses for outpatient curative care (44.4%), whereby dental services accounted for 11.6% of all out-of-pocket payments in the form of co-payments.
Most health care funds used for services of curative care, for medical goods and for long-term care
A little more than three quarters (75.9%) of current health expenditure was used for services of curative care and for medical goods. They were followed by expenditures on long-term care services (health).
Compared to 2020, expenditure on curative care increased by 11.4% and expenditure on medical goods by 8.6%. In this comparison, expenditure for preventive care increased significantly due to the epidemic.
Increase in expenditure on long-term care of infirm, ill and disabled people
Expenditure for the health part of long-term care of infirm, ill and disabled people amounted to EUR 537 million (10.1% more than in 2020) and for the social part to EUR 201 million (4.1% more than in 2020). Total nominal growth of long-term care expenditure was 8.4%. In percentage share, this was 1.4% of GDP.
Expenditure intended for the provision of long-term care at home (health part) higher
The largest part of the health part of long-term care (55.7%) was intended for care in institutions; 44.0% was intended for the provision of home-based long-term care, either in the form of services or as care provided by providers of community nursing care, providers of home help service, personal assistance and family assistants or in the form of cash benefits. Slightly less than half a percent was intended for day cases of long-term care.
Compared to 2020, home-based long-term care expenditure (health part) was higher, i.e. by 27.6%.
Current health expenditure by functions and sources of funding, Slovenia
1) Some totals do not add up due to rounding. Expenditure for Long-term care (social) excluded from Total. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
More detailed data will be published in the SiStat Database on 17 November 2023.
Total long-term care expenditure is divided into the health and social parts (the latter is not part of current health expenditure). The health part of long-term care includes medical or nursing care and personal care services (the so-called ADL services or help by basic activities of daily living, e.g. help in washing, dressing, etc.). They are provided by different institutions, in the context of day-care services and in the context of home-based services, where also cash benefits are included. The social part of long-term care includes assistance care services (the so-called IADL services or help by instrumental activities of daily living, e.g. help with shopping, laundry, etc.) that allows individuals to live independently in their own house or apartment.
Additional explanations are available in the methodological explanations.
Total long-term care expenditure is divided into the health and social parts (the latter is not part of current health expenditure). The health part of long-term care includes medical or nursing care and personal care services (the so-called ADL services or help by basic activities of daily living, e.g. help in washing, dressing, etc.). They are provided by different institutions, in the context of day-care services and in the context of home-based services, where also cash benefits are included. The social part of long-term care includes assistance care services (the so-called IADL services or help by instrumental activities of daily living, e.g. help with shopping, laundry, etc.) that allows individuals to live independently in their own house or apartment.
Additional explanations are available in the methodological explanations.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
