Public expenditure on health care in Spain 2010-2020

Having experienced a rapid drop between 2010 and 2013, public health care expenditure in Spain increased progressively in the years following up to 2020. That year, spending on health care by public organizations amounted to around 83.3 billion euros. In terms of health expenditure as a share of the Spanish GDP, the figure stood at 7.5 percent, about 1.1 percentage points more than in 2010.

Main areas of spending

Regarding the Spanish public expenditure on health by sector, hospital services accounted for the greatest share. The hospital expenditure amounted to around 51.9 billion euros in 2020, nearly 62 percent of that year's budget. Pharmacies and primary health care services were two other large areas of spending, accounting for around 12 billion euros each.

Private health expenditure

Although public spending on healthcare fluctuated over the last decade, the expenditure on private healthcare grew steadily between 2009 and 2018 and exceeded 32 billion euros in that last year. The Basque Country, Catalonia, and the Community of Madrid were the regions with the highest private healthcare spending per capita. In the Basque country, the average citizen spent 600 euros a year in medical expenses out of their own pockets and 179 euros in private insurance. Catalonia and the Community of Madrid had a slightly lower spending, but they devoted a larger portion to cover private insurance expenses.