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US Health Spending

The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world. However, there is wide variation between counties, with spending per capita ranging from below $3,500 to more than $13,000.

Photo by Khunatorn, Adobe Stock.

$144 billion was spent on type 2 diabetes in the US in 2019, more than any other health condition.
42% of heath spending in the US was on outpatient care, while 23.8% was on inpatient hospital care, and 13.7% on prescription pharmaceuticals.
41% of personal health care spending was on individuals over 65 years, with the greatest share of all age groups spent on those 65-69.
65% of the variation in spending between US counties can be explained by variation in service utilization.

Featured publications

Tracking US health care spending by health condition and county

This report reveals striking county-level variation in utilization of health care services and in health care spending, notably in private insurance, out-of-pocket spending, and emergency care.

Green and black graphic of Nassu County, New York and Clark County, Idaho, US counties with the highest and lowest per person annual health care expenditure, respectively, from 2010 to 2019.

Drivers of variation in health care spending across US counties

In this cross-sectional study, variation in health care spending among US counties was largely related to variation in service utilization. Understanding the drivers of spending variation in the US may help policymakers assess the allocation of health care resources.

Bar graph showing the differences in US spending by health condition. In order from least spent to most spent: Urinary diseases at 72 billion dollars, Ischemic heart disease at 81 billion dollars, Oral disorders at 93 billion dollars, Other musculoskeletal disorders at 109 billion dollars, and Type 2 diabetes at 144 billion dollars.

Policy briefings

The Disease Expenditure Study measures health care spending in the US, including in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in 3,110 counties from 2010 through 2019. It is the most comprehensive study on US health spending, tracking 148 health conditions, 4 payers (Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and out-of-pocket payments) and 7 types of care. 

Researchers used data from more than 40 billion insurance claims and nearly 1 billion facility records in this study as well as data from surveys.​

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