Spending on health in Europe: entering a new era

Overview

This report analyses health spending in 53 countries in the WHO European Region from 2000 to 2018 (‎the latest year for which internationally comparable data are available)‎. It reviews key patterns and trends in health spending over time and across countries in the following areas:

• health spending before the COVID-19 pandemic;
• the priority given to health in government budgets;
• the adverse effects of out-of pocket payments on financial protection;
• compulsory health financing arrangements and their impact on progress towards universal health coverage;
• spending on primary health care;
• the implications of COVID-19 for health spending; and
• the role of public policy in mitigating the negative effects of the pandemic and building health system resilience.