Sharp Rise in Healthcare Privatization Across Andalusia

• Private sector involvement in Andalusia’s public healthcare system has increased significantly over the last eight years.
• The region's healthcare privatization index rose from 12 in 2016 to 20.5 in 2026, marking a 70% increase.
• Private health insurance contracts have surged by 115.5% since 2014.

Key Metrics and Data

• The privatization index, calculated by the Federation of Associations for the Defense of Public Health, considers several factors:
  • Per capita spending on private health insurance.
  • Out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
  • Percentage of health spending allocated to contracts with private centers.
  • Percentage of private hospital beds.
• Growth in privatization peaked between 2020 and 2024, followed by a slight deceleration in 2025 and 2026.

Concerns Over Transparency

• The Federation reports significant difficulty in monitoring data, noting that allocations to the private sector are often disguised under other budget headings.
• Estimates suggest that if all funds allocated to private entities were fully accounted for, the actual budgetary impact would be nearly double the reported figures.
• The trend has drawn public criticism, exacerbated by management issues in areas like breast cancer screening programs.