The National Health Expenditures represent the total health care spending in the United States including personal health care, government public health activity, government administration, and the cost of health insurance. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), US health care spending is financed by a mixture of the federal government (28%), households (28%), businesses (21%), state and local governments (17%), and other private sources (7%).
I. US National Health Expenditures as % of GDP by Decade, 1960-2010

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), “National Health Expenditure Accounts: NEH Tables” , cms.gov (accessed Dec. 31, 2013)
II. US National Health Expenditures, Per Capita Spending, and % of GDP, 1960-2011
Total expenditures and per capita spending numbers are not adjusted for inflation.
Total Expenditure (Billions) | Per Capita Spending | Percent of GDP | |
2011 | $2,700.7 | $8,680 | 17.9% |
2010 | $2,600.0 | $8,417 | 17.9% |
2009 | $2,501.2 | $8,163 | 17.9% |
2008 | $2,406.6 | $7,922 | 16.8% |
2007 | $2,298.3 | $7,636 | 16.4% |
2006 | $2,163.3 | $7,255 | 16.2% |
2005 | $2,030.5 | $6,875 | 16.1% |
2004 | $1,901.6 | $6,497 | 16.0% |
2003 | $1,775.4 | $6,121 | 15.9% |
2002 | $1,638.0 | $5,695 | 15.4% |
2001 | $1,493.3 | $5,240 | 14.5% |
2000 | $1,377.2 | $4,878 | 13.8% |
1990 | $724.3 | $2,854 | 12.5% |
1980 | $255.8 | $1,110 | 9.2% |
1970 | $74.9 | $356 | 7.2% |
1960 | $27.4 | $147 | 5.2% |
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), “National Health Expenditure Accounts: NEH Tables” , cms.gov (accessed Dec. 31, 2013)
III. United States vs. International Health Care Expenditures as % of GDP, 2010

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), OECD Health Data 2013, June 27, 2013
IV. United States vs. International Health Care Expenditures as % of GDP, 2005-2010
2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
United States | 15.8% | 15.9% | 16.2% | 16.6% | 17.7% | 17.7% |
Australia | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 9.0% | 8.9% |
Canada | 9.8% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% | 11.4% |
France | 11.0% | 11.0% | 10.9% | 11.0% | 11.7% | 11.7% |
Germany | 10.8% | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 11.8% | 11.5% |
Italy | 8.7% | 8.8% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
Japan | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Sweden | 9.1% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 9.2% | 9.9% | 9.5% |
Switzerland | 10.9% | 10.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% | 11.0% | 10.9% |
UK | 8.3% | 8.4% | 8.5% | 9.0% | 9.9% | 9.6% |
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), OECD Health Data 2013, June 27, 2013
V. United States vs. International Health Care Expenditures Per Capita, 2010

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), OECD Health Data 2013, June 27, 2013
VI. United States vs. International Health Care Expenditures Per Capita, 2005-2010
2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
United States | $6,734.6 | $7,111.4 | $7,490.4 | $7,771.5 | $8,005.7 | $8,246.8 |
Australia | $2,979.6 | $3,167.6 | $3,360.3 | $3,470.2 | $3,734.4 | $3,800.1 |
Canada | $3,450.6 | $3,672.3 | $3,845.4 | $3,997.6 | $4,309.3 | $4,445.1 |
France | $3,253.9 | $3,434.8 | $3,600.1 | $3,763.6 | $3,961.7 | $4,016.1 |
Germany | $3,363.2 | $3,563.9 | $3,723.4 | $3,973.3 | $4,187.2 | $4,348.6 |
Italy | $2,472.7 | $2,683.8 | $2,723.8 | $2,967.3 | $3,029.5 | $3,018.5 |
Japan | $2,490.8 | $2,603.9 | $2,748.4 | $2,890.7 | $3,025.2 | $3,213.1 |
Sweden | $2,963.4 | $3,190.6 | $3,429.3 | $3,655.8 | $3,703.0 | $3,716.6 |
Switzerland | $4,015.3 | $4,246.7 | $4,567.4 | $4,933.1 | $5,156.7 | $5,299.4 |
UK | $2,762.0 | $2,997.5 | $3,094.1 | $3,273.7 | $3,455.6 | $3,421.6 |
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), OECD Health Data 2013, June 27, 2013