European Healthcare Expenditure on Inpatient Curative and Rehabilitative Care by Household Out-of-Pocket Payment by Country

In 2023, Belgium had the highest household out-of-pocket payments for inpatient curative and rehabilitative care in Europe at 198.5 Euros per capita, marking a 4.5% increase from the previous year. Greece and Denmark followed, with variations of -0.087% and 1.74%, respectively. Meanwhile, Slovenia and Latvia experienced significant declines, with rates dropping by 18.71% and 7.51%. Over the last five years, countries like Slovakia and Poland saw considerable annual growth, buoyed by rising out-of-pocket expenses, while nations like France and Slovenia showed negative trends. These trends indicate diverse dynamics across European healthcare expenditure.

Future trends to watch:

• Monitoring the effects of inflation and economic changes on household healthcare expenditure.
• Assessing the impact of policy reforms aimed at reducing out-of-pocket expenses, especially in countries with high rates like Belgium and Greece.
• Examining demographic changes and healthcare needs, particularly in aging populations, to foresee shifts in expenditure patterns.