Healthcare: Current healthcare expenditures up 13.7pct in 2023

   In 2023, Romania's national healthcare system as a whole reported current expenditures of almost RON 92 billion, up 13.7% from 2022, according to data released on Friday by the National Statistics Institute (INS).According to the statistics, the main financing source in the field of healthcare was public funds expenditures, 76.2% (RON 69.84 billion)."The evolution of financial resources used in the healthcare sector is analysed both from the perspective of current expenditures and from the three dimensions of the System of Health Accounts: Health Funding (HF), Health Care (HC) and Health Providers (HP)," according to INS.In 2023, current expenses on healthcare were RON 91.604 billion, up 13.7% from 2022.From the perspective of healthcare sector financing sources, the most important is the social security funds.In 2023, through social security, medical services were funded by RON 56.703 billion (61.9% of current expenses for healthcare), up 15.3% from 2022.Out-of-pocket payments of the population for healthcare services and goods represented 23.0% of current healthcare expenditures (RON 21.03 billion), direct contribution of central and local public administration accounted for 14.3% of total current expenditures for healthcare (RON 13.13 billion), while the contribution of private insurance companies (in the form of gross allowances paid to the insured persons), non-profit institutions and businesses providing healthcare services to employees made up 0.8% (RON 728.5 million) of total current expenses.From the perspective of healthcare services provided to the population, in 2023, the largest expenditures were reported for curative care, RON 49.73 billion (54.3%), which is an increase by 13.7% from 2022.Among them, RON 37.52 billion were spent on curative care provided to hospitalised patients (in inpatient or day care settings), RON 12.06 billion were spent on curative care provided in ambulatory care settings and 149.2 million on home-based curative care.On medicines and healthcare goods (prescription and non-prescription medications, therapeutic devices, durable and consumer healthcare goods) RON 25.17 billion were spent, which is 27.5% of total current expenses and an increase by 22.2% from 2022.Rehabilitative services represented 2.0% (RON 1.81 billion) of current healthcare expenditures, with long-term care services making up 5.6% (RON 5.16 billion) of current expenditures.On laboratory and imaging diagnostic services, emergency rescue and patient transportation services in 2023, RON 5.31 billion were spent making up 5.8% of total current expenditures and on other healthcare services (such as healthcare services provided to Romanian patients abroad) RON 371.6 million were spent (0.4% of current expenditures).On the healthcare system governance, administration and funding, RON 2.865 billion were spent, making up 3.1% of total current expenses"Prevention has an important role in ensuring the good health of the population. In 2023, RON 1.151 billion (1.3% of total current expenditures) were allocated for services aimed at preventing communicable diseases, diagnosing serious diseases with high incidence, detecting, treating and preventing diseases, for immunisation services," according to INS.By type of establishments providing healthcare services, the largest amount of total current health expenditures, RON 40.02 billion, was allocated to hospitals, up 10.1% from 2022.After hospitals, the highest current expenses were reported in payments to providers of medicines and healthcare goods sold directly to the population in specialised establishments (pharmacies, pharmaceutical outlets etc.), including RON 25.16 billion for the payment of ambulatory healthcare service providers, RON 15.12 billion (16.4%) and emergency rescue and patient transportation services, laboratory and diagnostic imaging, 5.307 RON million.On healthcare services provided in social facilities, such as residential care facilities for the elderly or for people with disabilities, expenditures were estimated at RON 1.24 billion (1.4% of current expenditures), while on healthcare providers abroad (the "rest of the world" category) who provided healthcare services to Romanian residents (for example payments from the FNUASS national single healthcare insurance fund for medical benefits granted under international documents) expenses amounted to RON 407.1 million (0.4% of current healthcare expenditures).