Health care costs for women higher than for men

Two people working in a hospital
© ANP / Erven Frank Muller / Zorginbeeld
Health care costs were around 13 percent higher for women than men in 2023 (based on the basic health care insurance package in the Netherlands). This is mainly because women have higher costs between the ages of 15 and 55 years of age. Among men over 60, health care costs are actually higher than for women of the same age, mainly due to higher costs for hospital care. This is according to analysis by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

In 2023, the average total health care costs covered by the basic insurance package in the Netherlands were over 3,200 euros per woman and 2,850 euros per man.

Higher health care costs for women of childbearing age

Women only have higher health care costs than men between the ages of 15 and 55 years. Women in that age group have higher costs for hospital care and perinatal care (obstetric care and maternity care). The difference is greatest among women aged 30 to 34 years; the average health care costs for women in this age group are over twice that of men (3,000 euros versus 1,400 euros).

Men's health care costs are higher in later life

Among those aged 60 and over, by contrast, average health care costs per person are higher among men. This is mainly due to higher costs for hospital care. From the age of 70 up-wards, the average cost of hospital care for men is around 30 percent higher than that for women.

Hospital care costs higher among men in older age groups

Although men do not use hospital care much more often than women in later life, their average hospital costs are higher. For men aged 70 to 74, the average costs per hospital patient are almost a quarter higher than they are for women in the same age group, for instance. Among men aged 85 or older, they are 33 percent higher than for women.

Highest costs for hospital care are even higher among men

Hospital care costs per person in later life are also higher for men than they are for women. Among those aged 75-79 years, the one percent of men with the highest hospital care costs had average costs of over 61 thousand euros; among women, this was 45 thousand euros.

One possible explanation for this is that men are more likely to have lifestyle-related or chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. This includes coronary heart disease, for example, one of the most costly conditions in health care spending.

Sources