National Hospital Cost Data Collection
A key output of the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) is the collection, validation, analysis and reporting of the National Hospital Cost Data Collection (NHCDC). This process is performed in conjunction with states and territories and private hospitals, who submit cost data to the NHCDC on an annual basis, known as a ‘round’.
The NHCDC is a unique collection and remarkable evidence base that is used across the Australian health system. The collection, for which IHACPA assumed responsibility in 2011, matches patient level activity with the costs incurred by hospitals in relation to this activity, and is the primary data collection used to develop the National Efficient Price (NEP) and National Efficient Cost (NEC) Determinations for the funding of public hospitals services.
To support consistency in the costing process, IHACPA works with stakeholders to develop and implement national costing standards.
The current version of the standards is the Australian Hospital Patient Costing Standards Version 4.1.
NHCDC public sector
The National Hospital Cost Data Collection (NHCDC) for the public sector, collected through the states and territories, is the primary data collection used to develop the national efficient price.
It is an annual and voluntary collection of public hospital data. To ensure it is robust for National Efficient Price and National Efficient Cost Determination, once received at the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority, the NHCDC undergoes validation, quality assurance checks and reporting to allow benchmarking. Each yearly collection includes an independent financial review and the production of a public hospital cost report that contains cost weight tables.
Round 26 (financial year 2021–22)
Round 25 (financial year 2020–21)
Round 24 (financial year 2019–20)
- NHCDC Round 24 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 24 Public Sector Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 24 Independent Financial Review
Round 23 (financial year 2018–19)
- NHCDC Round 23 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 23 Public Sector Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 23 Admitted Acute Cost Weight Table – Version 9.0
- NHCDC Round 23 Admitted Acute Cost Weight Table – Version 10.0
Round 22 (financial year 2017–18)
- NHCDC Round 22 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 22 Public Sector Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 22 Cost weight tables, DRG Version 8
- NHCDC Round 22 Cost weight tables, DRG Version 9
- NHCDC Round 22 Cost weight tables, DRG Version 10
Round 21 (financial year 2016–17)
- NHCDC Round 21 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 21 Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 21 Independent Financial Review
- NHCDC Round 21 Cost Weight tables Version 8.0x DRG
Round 20 (financial year 2015–16)
- NHCDC Round 20 Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 20 Independent Financial Review
- NHCDC Round 20 Australian Public Hospitals Cost Report
- Reporting of Round 20 Cost-Buckets by AN-SNAP class, national level
Round 19 (financial year 2014–15)
- NHCDC Round 19 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 19 Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 20 Independent Financial Review
Round 18 (financial year 2013–14)
- NHCDC Round 18 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 18 Independent Financial Review
- NHCDC Round 18 Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 18 Reporting of work-in-progress, long stay patients and escalation factors
Round 17 (financial year 2012–13)
- NHCDC Round 17 Public Sector Report
- NHCDC Round 17 Data Request Specifications
- NHCDC Round 17 submission fact sheet
- NHCDC Round 17 Independent Financial Review
- NHCDC Round 17 Cost Weight tables Version 6.0x DRG
- NHCDC Round 17 NHCDC Cost Report tables
- NHCDC Round 17 Reporting of work-in-progress, long stay patients and escalation factors
Round 16 (financial year 2011–12)
- NHCDC Round 16 Public Sector Cost Report
- NHCDC Round 16 Data Set Specifications
- NHCDC Round 16 Independent Review
Round 15 (financial year 2010–11)
NHCDC private sector
The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority works with private hospitals and private hospital groups, to collect the private sector National Hospital Cost Data Collection (NHCDC). The output of the collection includes a cost report, with cost weights for private admitted acute care services.
Financial year 2021-22
Round 25 (financial year 2020–21)
Round 24 (financial year 2019–20)
Round 23 (financial year 2018–19) and earlier
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Private Hospital Report, Round 23 (2018–19)
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Private Hospital Report, Round 22 (2017–18)
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Private Hospital Report, Round 21 (2016–17)
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Cost Report, Round 20 (2015–2016) Overnight Private Hospitals
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Cost Report, Round 18 (2013–2014) Overnight Private Hospitals
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Cost Report, Round 17 (2012–2013) Overnight Private Hospitals
- National Hospital Cost Data Collection: Cost Report, Round 16 (2011–2012) Overnight Private Hospitals
Independent Financial Review
To ensure that the quality of NHCDC data is robust and fit for purpose, IHACPA commissions an Independent Financial Review (IFR) to assess whether all participating hospitals have included appropriate costs and patient activity.
Typically, the IFR report is published on IHACPA’s website each year alongside the NHCDC Report. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on states, territories and health services, however, there was no IFR Report for Round 23.
Read previous IFR reports here.