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Burgeoning health care costs are a major concern in Australia and throughout the world, straining national budgets and challenging principles of accessibility and equity. In Australia, total health care spending increased by 3.4% per year during 2011–21, and by a further 6% ($13.7 billion) during the financial year 2021–22. The estimated cost of cancer care was the third highest for any disease type. Out‐of‐pocket health care expenses as a proportion of all health care expenditure in Australia (13.3%) are comparable with those in other countries with universal health care systems (Canada, 14.9%; United Kingdom, 13.9%), but are larger than in European countries with similar health care systems, such as the Netherlands (9.8%), Germany (11.0%), and France (8.2%). Australian data on cancer health care costs at the individual level, and how these costs vary by cancer type and patient characteristics, are limited.

This MJA Editorial shares more.

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Authors: Colin Williams and Peter Gibbs

Article Type: Editorial