Healthcare costs €8.8 billion higher last year due to Covid

Healthcare costs increased again in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the Netherlands spent 125 billion euros on care and welfare, 8.8 billion euros more than the year before, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Thursday.

On average, healthcare spending per person increased by 446 euros to 7,116 euros. The purchase of coronavirus vaccines and large-scale testing in particular increased costs. The government spent an estimated 6.7 billion euros on testing and vaccination last year. A year earlier, when the Covid-19 vaccines weren’t available yet, those costs amounted to 1.4 billion euros.

The costs to care for coronavirus patients also increased. In 2021, 1.7 billion euros went to this care, 300 million euros more than a year earlier. According to CBS, the lion’s share of this amount went to hospitals.

The support schemes for care providers were lower last year than in 2020. For example, compensation for regular care that was postponed or canceled was 900 million euros. In 2020, it was still 3.5 billion euros. The bonus for healthcare employees was also lower in 2021 at 700 million euros, compared to 2.1 billion euros in 2020.