Healthcare in the wake of economic changes
In recent years, healthcare costs have plateaued, both in the Netherlands and in other Western economies, such as the US. In the US, there are signs that this leveling off of healthcare costs is closely related to the economy.
The question is whether or not this is also the case for the Netherlands. If so, what does that mean for the forecasted growth in healthcare costs in the coming years, for healthcare policy and for forecasting models?
In this Gupta Strategists study, it appears that about 80% of healthcare cost increases can be explained by GDP growth and inflation. GDP is the biggest factor and accounts for 50% of healthcare cost growth, while inflation accounts for 30%. This is based on an analysis of GDP, inflation and healthcare costs figures from the past 35 years.