In 2022, U.S. national health expenditure as a share of its gross domestic product (GDP) reached 17.3 percent, this was a decrease 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 16 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 38 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.

Graph and download economic data for Value Added by Industry: Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance: Educational Services as a Percentage of GDP (VAPGDPES) from Q1 2005 to Q4 2024 about social assistance, value added, health, private industries, education, percent, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.

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.

In fiscal year 2022, the share of national medical expenses in the gross domestic product in Japan reached 8.24 percent. This share marked the highest point in the last decade, representing an increase from 8.13 percent in the previous year.

Graph and download economic data for Government current expenditures: Health (G160271A027NBEA) from 1959 to 2023 about health, expenditures, government, GDP, and USA.

This statistic shows a forecast of the U.S. national health expenditure as a percentage of GDP from 2023 to 2032. By 2032, this share is expected to increase up to nearly one-fifth of the national gross domestic product.

India: Health spending as percent of GDP: The latest value from 2021 is 3.28 percent, a decline from 3.34 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 7.21 percent, based on data from 181 countries. Historically, the average for India from 2000 to 2021 is 3.55 percent. The minimum value, 2.86 percent, was reached in 2018 while the maximum of 4.26 percent was recorded in 2001.

Iran: Health spending as percent of GDP: The latest value from 2021 is 5.77 percent, an increase from 5.4 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 7.21 percent, based on data from 181 countries. Historically, the average for Iran from 2000 to 2021 is 5.91 percent. The minimum value, 4.65 percent, was reached in 2002 while the maximum of 7.99 percent was recorded in 2016.

Graph and download economic data for Private fixed investment in structures: Nonresidential: Health care: Medical buildings (W035RC1A027NBEA) from 1929 to 2024 about medical, nonresidential, health, fixed, investment, buildings, private, GDP, and USA.

In 2023, health expenditure in China amounted to about 7.19 percent of the GDP, up from 7.08 percent in the previous year. Rising healthcare expenditure In the past four decades, China's overall healthcare spending has increased consistently. Growing government funding and private investments have led to an expansion of the health system, resulting in more healthcare facilities, more beds, and improved medical technologies. At present, more than a quarter of the nation's healthcare expenditures are out-of-pocket costs borne by patients, with the rest covered by government subsidies and medical insurance. The improved medical insurance system At the turn of this century, China introduced a range of statutory medical insurance programs, including the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance, the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme, and the Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance. The programs gradually reduced the high out-of-pocket medical bills borne by Chinese patients, while providing a more stable source of income for the healthcare providers. Since around 2017, the basic medical insurance system was simplified, resulting in two insurance schemes covering 95 percent of the population.

In 2023, Mexico’s healthcare expenditure represented an estimated 5.7 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), a decrease of 0.4 percentage points in comparison to 2020. This figure had remained relatively stable in previous years. In that year, Mexico's GDP amounted to approximately 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars. Mexico in a global contextHealthcare expenditure is comprised of insurance, research, facility provision, and all other expenses associated with public health. Mexico's spending on healthcare in relation to its GDP is staggeringly low compared to most OECD countries. The United States, for instance, allocated approximately 17 percent of its GDP to healthcare in 2023. Furthermore, Mexico had one of the lowest levels of per capita health expenditures worldwide that year, at 1,500 U.S dollars. This figure was equivalent to less than half of that reported by Chile, which spent 3,350 U.S. dollars per citizen on health. Health coverage in the North American countryIn 2021, around 56 percent of the Mexican population was covered under one of the country’s public health care programs. Another 46 percent was affiliated to public healthcare insurance. However, despite Mexico’s efforts and investment in healthcare, a significant share of their population is still considered vulnerable due to inadequate access to health services. According to a survey carried out in Mexico in 2020, around 43 percent of respondents in whose households there was at least one member that presented symptoms of an illness did not attend a medical consultation because there were no available appointments.

Graph and download economic data for Personal consumption expenditures: Services: Health care (DHLCRC1A027NBEA) from 1929 to 2024 about health, PCE, consumption expenditures, consumption, personal, services, GDP, and USA.

Burundi: Health spending as percent of GDP: The latest value from 2021 is 9.1 percent, a decline from 10.72 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 7.21 percent, based on data from 181 countries. Historically, the average for Burundi from 2000 to 2021 is 7.83 percent. The minimum value, 4.22 percent, was reached in 2000 while the maximum of 11.28 percent was recorded in 2010.

Greece: Health spending as percent of GDP: The latest value from 2021 is 9.17 percent, a decline from 9.5 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 7.21 percent, based on data from 181 countries. Historically, the average for Greece from 2000 to 2021 is 8.51 percent. The minimum value, 7.24 percent, was reached in 2000 while the maximum of 9.6 percent was recorded in 2010.

United States - Contributions to percent change in real gross domestic product: Personal consumption expenditures: Services: Health care was 0.46000 Percentage Points at Annual Rate in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Contributions to percent change in real gross domestic product: Personal consumption expenditures: Services: Health care reached a record high of 6.91000 in July of 2020 and a record low of -7.29000 in April of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Contributions to percent change in real gross domestic product: Personal consumption expenditures: Services: Health care - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Domestic Product: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in Ohio (OHHLTHSOCASSNGSP) from 1997 to 2024 about healthcare, social assistance, health, OH, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, industry, GDP, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Real Gross Domestic Product: Health Care and Social Assistance (62) in Missouri (MOHLTHSOCASSRGSP) from 1997 to 2024 about healthcare, social assistance, health, MO, GSP, private industries, education, services, private, real, industry, GDP, and USA.

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.

United States - Contributions to Percent Change in the Chain-Type Price Index for GDP by Industry: Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance: Educational Services was 0.04000 Percentage Points in October of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Contributions to Percent Change in the Chain-Type Price Index for GDP by Industry: Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance: Educational Services reached a record high of 0.09000 in January of 2006 and a record low of -0.01000 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Contributions to Percent Change in the Chain-Type Price Index for GDP by Industry: Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance: Educational Services - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.