National Health Care Costs

The United States spends more on health care per capita than any other county. We spend an average of over $6,000 per person each year, including what you spend as an individual, what employers spend, and what government and charities spend.

The service that costs the most is hospital care—it is one third of all costs. Doctor services and prescription drugs are the next-largest costs.

Many people lack insurance

Although we spend a lot on health care, many Americans lack basic health care. Most industrialized countries guarantee health care for all citizens. In the United States, over 40 million people are uninsured. We have higher rates of newborn deaths and a lower life expectancy than many other countries.

Learn more about costs

Health care costs are high and they are rising faster than inflation. To learn more, visit:

• The California HealthCare Foundation  
• Health Care Costs 101  
  A one-page snapshot of national health care spending trends.
• The Kaiser Family Foundation  
  Read reports on U.S. and world health insurance costs and trends.

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