ISRAELI FAMILY HEALTH EXPENDITURE

The Central Bureau of Statistics in Israel has just published preliminary findings from its latest Family Expenditure Survey for the period mid-1992 to mid-1993, which shows that out of total household consumption, expenditure on health care represented 7.1%, a substantially increased proportion compared with the 5.2% seen in the 1986/87 survey.

This increase was the highest seen for any class of consumption. However, it is explained that the increased weighting arose from both a higher-than-average rise in health prices and a higher-than-average growth in the volume and quality of health services consumed (% real change). Thus, whereas prices overall rose during the five years by a factor of 2.51, health care prices rose by a factor of 3.16, the second highest increase for any class of consumption. The percentage real change in consumption on health was almost double (17.6%) that of overall consumption (9.1%).

The greater emphasis on consumption of health care, as well as on other elements such as education, culture and entertainment at the expense of food, is indicative of a rise in the standard of living in Israel. It should be noted, however, that a similar proportion of expenditure (7.1%-7.2%) was seen for all income deciles. The proportion of expenditure on health care was almost double in the elderly (65 and over) compared with the young (under 18).