In 2023, U.S. national health expenditure as a share of its gross domestic product (GDP) reached 17.6 percent, this was an increase on the previous year. The United States has the highest health spending based on GDP share among developed countries. Both public and private health spending in the U.S. is much higher than other developed countries. Why the U.S. pays so much moreWhile private health spending in Canada stays at around three percent and in Germany under two percent of the gross domestic product, it is nearly nine percent in the United States. Another reason for high costs can be found in physicians’ salaries, which are much higher in the U.S. than in other wealthy countries. A general practitioner in the U.S. earns nearly twice as much as the average physician in other high-income countries. Additionally, medicine spending per capita is also significantly higher in the United States. Finally, inflated health care administration costs are another of the predominant factors which make health care spending in the U.S. out of proportion. It is important to state that Americans do not pay more because they have a higher health care utilization, but mainly because of higher prices. Expected developmentsBy 2031, it is expected that health care spending in the U.S. will reach nearly one fifth of the nation’s gross domestic product. Or in dollar-terms, health care expenditures will accumulate to about seven trillion U.S. dollars in total.
Among OECD member countries, the United States had the highest percentage of gross domestic product spent on health care as of 2023. The U.S. spent nearly ** percent of its GDP on health care services. Germany, France and Japan followed the U.S. with distinctly smaller percentages. The United States had both significantly higher private and public spending on health compared with other developed countries. Why compare OECD countries?OECD stands for Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. It is an economic organization consisting of ** members, mostly high-income countries and committed to democratic principles and market economy. This makes OECD statistics more comparable than statistics of developed and undeveloped countries. Health economics is an important matter for the OECD, even more since increasing health costs and an aging population have become an issue for many developed countries. Health costs in the U.S. A higher GDP share spent on health care does not automatically lead to a better functioning health system. In the case of the U.S., high spending is mainly because of higher costs and prices, not due to higher utilization. For example, physicians’ salaries are much higher in the U.S. than in other comparable countries. A doctor in the U.S. earns almost twice as much as the average physician in Germany. Pharmaceutical spending per capita is also distinctly higher in the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. also spends more on health administrative costs compare to other wealthy countries.
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The average for 2021 based on 181 countries was 7.21 percent. The highest value was in Afghanistan: 21.83 percent and the lowest value was in Brunei: 2.2 percent. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
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Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in the United States (USHLTHSOCASSNQGSP) from Q1 2005 to Q1 2025 about healthcare, social assistance, health, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Value Added by Industry: Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance as a Percentage of GDP (VAPGDPESHS) from Q1 2005 to Q1 2025 about social assistance, value added, health, private industries, education, percent, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
In 2023, Germany spent an equivalent to **** percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare. The total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP has increased since 1980.
The global current health expenditure as a share of the GDP in was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.2 percentage points. After the seventh consecutive increasing year, the share is estimated to reach 6.31 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. According to Worldbank health spending includes expenditures with regards to healthcare services and goods. It is depicted here in relation to the total gross domestic product (GDP) of the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the current health expenditure as a share of the GDP in countries like North America and the Americas.
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Graph and download economic data for Chain-Type Quantity Index for Real GDP: Educational Services (61) in Mississippi (MSEDCATQGSP) from 1997 to 2024 about healthcare, social assistance, quantity index, health, MS, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product: Ambulatory Health Care Services (621) in the United States (USAMBHCNGSP) from 1997 to 2023 about ambulatory, assistance, healthcare, social assistance, health, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Real Gross Domestic Product: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in the United States (USHLTHSOCASSRGSP) from 1997 to 2024 about healthcare, social assistance, health, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, real, industry, GDP, and USA.
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<li>Japan healthcare spending per capita for 2021 was <strong>$4,483</strong>, a <strong>0.09% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Japan healthcare spending per capita for 2020 was <strong>$4,487</strong>, a <strong>1.25% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Japan healthcare spending per capita for 2019 was <strong>$4,431</strong>, a <strong>3.88% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Current expenditures on health per capita in current US dollars. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year.
This statistic depicts the total expenditure on health as a share of GDP (gross domestic product) in selected European countries in 2022. In that year, Switzerland spent the largest share of GDP on healthcare at ** percent, followed by Germany at **** percent.
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Historical chart and dataset showing China healthcare spending per capita by year from 2000 to 2022.
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The dataset contains a summary of government spending on healthcare, presented as a share of a country's GDP in selected years. Data are presented for the years 1880–2020, in 10-year intervals (i.e. in 1880, 1890, 1900, …, 2010, 2020). The aim of the summary was to present changes in the approach of governments of selected countries in Europe (including Poland), the USA, China andIndia over the 140 years studied.
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Graph and download economic data for Chain-Type Quantity Index for Real GDP: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in Texas (TXHLTHSOCASSQQGSP) from Q1 2005 to Q1 2025 about healthcare, social assistance, quantity index, health, GSP, private industries, education, TX, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Chain-Type Quantity Index for Real GDP: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in South Carolina (SCHLTHSOCASSQQGSP) from Q1 2005 to Q4 2024 about healthcare, social assistance, quantity index, health, SC, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
In financial year 2025, the health expenditure as a share of the gross domestic product (GDP) in Singapore was estimated to reach 2.7 percent. Healthcare spending as share of the GDP had increased in Singapore since 2016 due to a myriad of factors, including improving infrastructure and increasing spending to meet the healthcare demands of an aging population.
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<li>Singapore healthcare spending per capita for 2021 was <strong>$4,044</strong>, a <strong>15.8% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Singapore healthcare spending per capita for 2020 was <strong>$3,492</strong>, a <strong>20.68% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Singapore healthcare spending per capita for 2019 was <strong>$2,894</strong>, a <strong>7.64% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Current expenditures on health per capita in current US dollars. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year.
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Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in Louisiana (LAHLTHSOCASSNQGSP) from Q1 2005 to Q1 2025 about healthcare, social assistance, LA, health, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
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Graph and download economic data for Chain-Type Quantity Index for Real GDP: Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance (61, 62) in Illinois (ILEDHLTHSOCASSQGSP) from 1997 to 2024 about healthcare, social assistance, quantity index, health, IL, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.
In 2023, U.S. national health expenditure as a share of its gross domestic product (GDP) reached 17.6 percent, this was an increase on the previous year. The United States has the highest health spending based on GDP share among developed countries. Both public and private health spending in the U.S. is much higher than other developed countries. Why the U.S. pays so much moreWhile private health spending in Canada stays at around three percent and in Germany under two percent of the gross domestic product, it is nearly nine percent in the United States. Another reason for high costs can be found in physicians’ salaries, which are much higher in the U.S. than in other wealthy countries. A general practitioner in the U.S. earns nearly twice as much as the average physician in other high-income countries. Additionally, medicine spending per capita is also significantly higher in the United States. Finally, inflated health care administration costs are another of the predominant factors which make health care spending in the U.S. out of proportion. It is important to state that Americans do not pay more because they have a higher health care utilization, but mainly because of higher prices. Expected developmentsBy 2031, it is expected that health care spending in the U.S. will reach nearly one fifth of the nation’s gross domestic product. Or in dollar-terms, health care expenditures will accumulate to about seven trillion U.S. dollars in total.