Percentage of Healthcare Costs in a Singaporean's Household Expenditure

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health in each of the past 10 years what percentage do healthcare/medical costs form in a Singaporean's household expenditure.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Household Expenditure Survey (HES) is conducted once in every five years, and the most recent information on household expenditure on healthcare is available from the HES 2002/03 and 2007/08.

Based on the HES 2002/03, households spent $174 per month on healthcare, or 4.7% of their average monthly household expenditure. In the HES 2007/08, they spent an average of $231 per month on healthcare, or 5.3% of their average monthly household expenditure.

The annualised growth in household expenditure on health was about 5.8% from 2002/03 to 2007/08. Over the same period, Government health expenditure per resident household grew by about 7.1% per year.

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