Study Confirms U.S. Health Spending Far Outpaces Other Industrialized Nations

According to The Commonwealth Fund, the U.S. spends more than 12 other industrialized countries, but the care here is not necessarily better.

Politico: U.S. Health Care Spending 'Dwarfs' Other Countries
The United States spends more on health care than 12 other industrialized countries, a new Commonwealth Fund study finds -- but that doesn't mean this country's care is any better. The U.S. spent nearly $8,000 per person for health care services in 2009, the study found, confirming that "health care spending in the U.S. dwarfs that found in any other industrialized country" (Smith, 5/3).

Modern Healthcare: U.S. Outspends 12 Other Countries On Health Care, Report Says
The U.S. outspends 12 other industrialized countries on health care, but does not provide superior care to those nations, according to a report from the Commonwealth Fund. ... The study showed that the U.S. spent almost $8,000 per capita on health care in 2009, while Japan and New Zealand spent about one-third as much and Norway and Switzerland spent about two-thirds as much. And health care spending in the U.S. was about 17 percent of the country's gross domestic product compared with all of the countries, where spending was 12 percent or less of GDP (Zigmond, 5/3).