The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published a report on health care in its member states, pointing to the steady increase in life expectancy and the slower pace of growth in medical expenses. How did the Polish health service fare?
According to the “Health at a Glance 2017” document, the average life expectancy for all 35 OECD countries was 2015 years in 80,6, while in 1970 it was 70,1 years. Japan (83,9 years old) comes first here, followed by Spain and Switzerland (both 83,0 years old). 45 years earlier, the corresponding indicators for these countries were 72,0, 72,0 and 73,1 years. In contrast, Sweden, in the lead in 1970 with 74,8 years, has now fallen to tenth place with a figure of 82,3 years.
Poland, where the average life expectancy increased from 1970 to 2015 years in 70,0-77,6, is below the OECD average in this classification (similarly to the USA with an indicator of 78,8 years), but is ahead of Slovakia (76,7 years), Hungary (75,7), Latvia (74,6) and Lithuania (74,5).
As indicated in the report, the average annual growth rate of health care expenditure per capita in OECD countries in 2016 continued to increase, but for the entire 2009-2016 period it was significantly lower than in the years 2003-2009 due to the financial crisis, amounting to 1,4 and 3,6 percent “In Hungary, as well as in Poland and Estonia, this growth has remained relatively stable since 2009, with annual rates ranging from 2,7 to 3,6 percent.” – indicates the OECD document. For Poland, it was 6,6 percent. in the years 2003-2009 and 3,1 percent. in the years 2009-2016.
The report notes a significant variation between individual OECD countries in terms of the amount of health expenditure per capita, both in terms of amounts and in proportion to the total gross domestic product. The United States came first in both rankings in 2016 with $ 9892 and 17,2 percent. GDP, while the average for the entire OECD is $ 4003 and 9,0 percent. In terms of the amount, Switzerland came second with $ 7919, and Luxembourg came third with $ 7463. In the proportion of health care expenditure to the total GDP, Switzerland is also second (12,4%) and Germany third (11,3%).
Poland with $ 1798 and 6,4 percent. Last year, GDP outstripped Latvia only among all Eastern European OECD member states ($ 1466 and 5,7% of GDP, respectively). Lithuania ($ 1970 and 6,5 percent), Estonia ($ 1989 and 6,7 percent), Hungary ($ 2101 and 7,6 percent), Slovakia ($ 2150 and 6,9 percent) fared better here. , The Czech Republic ($ 2544 and 7,3 percent) and Slovenia ($ 2835 and 8,6 percent).
In the case of Poland, attention is drawn to the high share of private expenditure in total health care costs – 2,0 percent. GDP against a total of 6,4 percent In Slovakia it was 1,4 against 6,9%, in the Czech Republic 1,3 against 7,3%, in Great Britain 2,0 against 9,7%, and in Germany 1,7 against 11,3%. On the other hand, in the United States, private expenditure accounts for more than half of the total financing of the health service – 8,8 compared to 17,2%. GDP.