Health Expenditure Trends in New Zealand 1980-1998

Health Expenditure Trends in New Zealand 1980-1998
Date of publication: August 1999

This report provides estimates of health and disability services expenditure in New Zealand at the aggregate level, on a per capita basis, by source of funds and in nominal and real terms since 1979–80. The data for 1997/98 in this edition cover the transition period when the health and disability services funding structure changed from four Regional Health Authorities, to a Transitional Health Authority and finally to a single Health Funding Authority.

The definitions for health and categories of health care used in the study were developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). They enable comparisons to be made between countries, and also provide for consistency with previous reports. However, the WHO definition of ‘health’ is a relatively narrow one and does not include significant aspects of disability support services. This is particularly significant in the New Zealand situation following the integration of the funding and purchasing of health and disability support services that has come into effect in recent years.

Following the tradition of previous editions of Health Expenditure Trends, funding transferred from social agencies (transfers) to Vote Health, except the amounts directly related to health care, is classified as ‘non-health’ expenditure. This is to enable comparison to be made between countries and to provide consistency with previous reports.

Readers should also note that Statistics New Zealand has changed the standard way that the population of New Zealand is measured. As a result, the size of population and therefore, the per capita information, changes from that provided in recent editions of this report.

The information in this report provides a basis for understanding the reasons for changes in the patterns of health and disability expenditure in New Zealand. The data provided are also useful to help evaluate health and disability expenditure-related policies. These data, together with other information supplied by the Ministry, provide the information resources necessary for the public, researchers and policy makers to assess the performance of the health system over time.

Readers familiar with this report will notice that the volume data included in the appendices of previous issues have not been included this year. It is proposed that volume data will in future be included separately in a companion volume to Health Expenditure Trends.

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Related information
Health Expenditure Trends in New Zealand 1980-1999
Health Expenditure Trends in New Zealand 1980-1998
Health Expenditure Trends in New Zealand 1980-1997