Australia health news: Spending on health hits $270 billion, with cancer costing $19.7 billion alone

Australia's health spending has risen to 10 per cent of GDP, with $270.5 billion or $10,037 per person spent, according to new government data.

It constitutes a 1.1 per cent increase, with the government alone spending $188.2 billion on health, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

Of the spending, more than $180 billion can be attributed to disease and injury, with cancer remaining the most costly condition to treat.

The data covers the 2023-24 period.

Australia spent $19.7 billion treating cancer, while the report noted mental health conditions and substance abuse issues constituted the second-highest burden of disease.

Burden of disease, according to the AIHW, is defined as the impact of diseases and injuries on a population, combining years of healthy