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.

The average for 2021 based on 186 countries was 7.09 percent. The highest value was in Afghanistan: 21.51 percent and the lowest value was in Brunei: 2.15 percent. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

United States US: Health Expenditure: Private: % of GDP data was reported at 8.862 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 8.853 % for 2013. United States US: Health Expenditure: Private: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging 8.434 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2014, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.985 % in 2009 and a record low of 7.132 % in 1997. United States US: Health Expenditure: Private: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Private health expenditure includes direct household (out-of-pocket) spending, private insurance, charitable donations, and direct service payments by private corporations.; ; World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure database (see http://apps.who.int/nha/database for the most recent updates).; Weighted average;

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

The average for 2021 based on 186 countries was 1368.8 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in the USA: 11999.09 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Somalia: 14.63 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2021 based on 19 countries was 7.86 percent. The highest value was in El Salvador: 10.13 percent and the lowest value was in Haiti: 3.44 percent. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The current health expenditure as a share of the GDP in the United States was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.8 percentage points. According to this forecast, in 2029, the share will have increased for the seventh consecutive year to 17.98 percent. 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 Canada and Mexico.

Context

This indicator calculates the average expenditure on health per person. It contributes to understand the health expenditure relative to the population size facilitating international comparison. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines current health spending as:

Health spending measures the final consumption of health care goods and services (i.e. current health expenditure) including personal health care (curative care, rehabilitative care, long-term care, ancillary services and medical goods) and collective services (prevention and public health services as well as health administration), but excluding spending on investments. Health care is financed through a mix of financing arrangements including government spending and compulsory health insurance (“Government/compulsory”) as well as voluntary health insurance and private funds such as households’ out-of-pocket payments, NGOs and private corporations (“Voluntary”). This indicator is presented as a total and by type of financing (“Government/compulsory”, “Voluntary”, “Out-of-pocket”) and is measured as a share of GDP, as a share of total health spending and in USD per capita (using economy-wide PPPs).

OECD (2020), Health spending (indicator). doi: 10.1787/8643de7e-en (Accessed on 19 September 2020)

In 2022, the U.S. government spent more on healthcare than any other country, at 16.6 percent of GDP. In the same year, U.S. military expenditure was 3.45 percent of GDP. This statistic shows the healthcare and military expenditure as a percentage of GDP in select countries in 2022.

In 2024, Mexico’s healthcare expenditure represented an estimated 5.9 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), an increase of 0.2 percentage points in comparison to 2023. 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 around 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 that same year. Health coverage in the North American countryIn 2023, 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: Home health care (DHHCRC1A027NBEA) from 1987 to 2024 about health, PCE, consumption expenditures, consumption, personal, GDP, and USA.

This scatter chart displays GDP (current US$) against health expenditure per capita (current US$) in the Americas. The data is about regions.

This scatter chart displays GDP (current US$) against health expenditure (% of GDP). The data is about countries.

The statistic depicts U.S. health expenditure as a percentage of the GDP from 2007 to 2009, and a forecast for 2050. In 2009, U.S. health expenditure accounted for 18 percent of the GDP.

United States GDP: PCE: SE: MC: OPMS: Home Health Care data was reported at 49.989 USD bn in Oct 2003. This records an increase from the previous number of 49.425 USD bn for Sep 2003. United States GDP: PCE: SE: MC: OPMS: Home Health Care data is updated monthly, averaging 38.258 USD bn from Jan 1987 (Median) to Oct 2003, with 202 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.989 USD bn in Oct 2003 and a record low of 10.119 USD bn in Jan 1987. United States GDP: PCE: SE: MC: OPMS: Home Health Care data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.A203: NIPA 1999: Personal Consumption Expenditure.

The average for 2021 based on 19 countries was 3215.44 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in the USA: 11999.09 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in India: 75.55 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, Mexico’s healthcare expenditure represented an estimated 5.9 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), an increase of 0.2 percentage points in comparison to 2023. 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 around 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 that same year. Health coverage in the North American countryIn 2023, 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.

The average for 2021 based on 44 countries was 780.1 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Japan: 4482.62 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Syria: 25.8 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2021 based on 12 countries was 684.33 U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Uruguay: 1594.98 U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Venezuela: 162.5 U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Graph and download economic data for Real Personal Consumption Expenditures: Services: Household Consumption Expenditures (for Services): Health Care (DHLCRL1Q225SBEA) from Q2 1959 to Q2 2025 about health, PCE, consumption expenditures, consumption, households, personal, services, real, GDP, rate, and USA.