Study looks at health care costs

Barbados spent a total of $732.4 million on health care for 2012 to 13, the chief health planner in the Ministry of Health, Samuel Deane, said yesterday.

Deane unveiled the results for the first compilation of Barbados’ National Health Accounts (NHAs) at a workshop at the Savannah Hotel.

A breakdown showed that the recurring spending was $716.4 million, capital spending was $15.5 million and health-care related spending – for example, environmental health, was $406 439.

The results showed that Government and households were the two biggest spenders for health, with Government financing 55.5 per cent and households 39 per cent. Employers, primarily through insurance schemes, contributed five per cent, followed by NGOs 0.3 per cent and donors 0.4 per cent. (MB)

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