A report published today by the OECD shows that in 2009 Israel spent an average of 7.9% of its GDP on health compared with the OECD average of 9.6% of GDP. Moreover, the survey found that Israel has not raised GDP spending on health for 15 years.
The report also found that public funding of health services in Israel amounts to 58% of the total compared with the OECD average of 72%. Per capita health expenditure in Israel totals $2,164 annually, 30% lower than the OECD average of $3,233. Between 2000 and 2009 per capita spending on health in Israel rose 1.5%, well below the OECD average of 4%.
Despite Israel's relative miserliness on health spending, it seems that Israelis are healthier than their OECD counterparts. Average life expectancy in Israel is 80.6 compared with the OECD average life expectancy of 79.5. Survival rates for breast cancer and cancer in general are far higher in Israel than for the OECD as a whole.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 23, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011