Australia maps knee and hip replacement costs in Aus$4bn musculoskeletal bill
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Spending on arthritis and musculoskeletal care has grown by more than 5% between 2000-01 and 2004-05, when it was the fourth-largest contributor to overall healthcare spending, accounting for Aus$4bn (US$3.7bn) or 7% of the total budget. So highlights the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) from its report Health expenditure for arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions 2004-05. Osteoarthritis alone accounted for almost a third of spending across this area of care, and 75% of this went on hospital costs related mainly to knee and hip replacements.