US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes among high-income countries, new report finds | CNN (2024)

US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes among high-income countries, new report finds | CNN (1)

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The United States spends more on health care than any other high-income country but still has the lowest life expectancy at birth and the highest rate of people with multiple chronic diseases, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group.

Jae C. Hong/AP/FILE New poll shows jump in adults who rate the quality of US health care as 'poor'

The report, released Tuesday, also says that compared with peer nations, the US has the highest rates of deaths from avoidable or treatable causes and the highest maternal and infant death rates.

“Americans are living shorter, less healthy lives because our health system is not working as well as it could be,” the report’s lead author, Munira Gunja, senior researcher for The Commonwealth Fund’s International Program in Health Policy and Practice Innovation, said in a news release. “To catch up with other high-income countries, the administration and Congress would have to expand access to health care, act aggressively to control costs, and invest in health equity and social services we know can lead to a healthier population.”

Alberto Mier/CNN US comes in last in health care rankings of high-income countries

People in the US see doctors less often than those in most other countries, which is probably related to the US having a below-average number of practicing physicians, according to the report, and the US is the only country among those studied that doesn’t have universal health coverage. In 2021 alone, 8.6% of the US population was uninsured.

“Not only is the U.S. the only country we studied that does not have universal health coverage, but its health system can seem designed to discourage people from using services,” researchers at the Commonwealth Fund, headquartered in New York, wrote in the report. “Affordability remains the top reason why some Americans do not sign up for health coverage, while high out-of-pocket costs lead nearly half of working-age adults to skip or delay getting needed care.”

An outlier on spending and outcomes

The researchers analyzed health statistics from international sources, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, which tracks and reports on data from health systems across 38 high-income countries. The data was extracted in December.

The researchers examined how the United States measured against Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. They also compared the US with the OECD average for 38 high-income countries.

The data showed that in 2021 alone, the US spent nearly twice as much as the average OECD country on health care – and health spending in the US was three to four times higher than in South Korea, New Zealand and Japan.

Globally, health care spending has been increasing since the 1980s, according to the report, driven mostly by advancements in medical technologies, the rising costs of medical care and a higher demand for services.

The US has the highest rate of people with multiple chronic health conditions, the data showed, and the highest obesity rate among the countries studied.

Life expectancy at birth in the US in 2020 was 77 years – three years less than the OECD average – and early data suggests that US life expectancy dropped even further in 2021. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, more people died from coronavirus infections in the US than in any other high-income country, according to the report.

Deaths caused by assaults also appeared to be highest in the US compared with all peer countries. The researchers found that deaths from physical assault, which includes gun violence, occurred at a rate of 7.4 deaths per 100,000 people in the US in 2020, significantly higher than the OECD average of 2.7 and at least seven times higher than most other high-income countries in the report.

Adobe Stock US cancer death rate falls 33% since 1991, partly due to advances in treatment, early detection and less smoking, report says

Where the US appeared to do well was in cancer prevention and treating cancers early. Along with Sweden, it had the highest number of breast cancer screenings among women ages 50 to 69, and the US exceeded the OECD average when it came to screening rates for colorectal cancer.

A separate paper published in mid-January said that the US cancer death rate has fallen 33% since 1991, which corresponds to an estimated 3.8 million deaths averted.

Overall, the new Commonwealth Fund report “continues to demonstrate the importance of international comparisons,” Reginald D. Williams II, who leads The Commonwealth Fund’s International Program, said in the news release. “It offers an opportunity for the U.S. to learn from other countries and build a better health care system that delivers affordable, high-quality health care for everyone.”

‘We’re not getting the best value for our health care dollar’

Much of the data in the new report shows trends that have been seen before.

“It validates the fact that we continue to spend more than anybody else and get the worst health outcomes. So we’re not getting the best value for our health care dollar,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, who was not involved in the new report.

“The big takeaway for me is that Covid did not become the great equalizer [among nations]. It did not help our case at all,” Benjamin said. “If anything, it exposed the existing holes in our health care system.”

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To help fix the holes in the US health care system, Benjamin referenced three steps the nation can take.

“We’re still the only nation that does not have universal health care or access for all of our citizens,” Benjamin said.

Second, “we don’t do as much primary care prevention as the other nations, and we still have a public health system, which is fractured,” he said. “The third thing is, we under-invest compared to other industrialized nations in societal things. They spend their money on providing upfront support for their citizens. We spend our money on sick care.”

CNN’s Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.

US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes among high-income countries, new report finds | CNN (2024)

FAQs

US spends most on health care but has worst health outcomes among high-income countries, new report finds | CNN? ›

The United States spends more on health care than any other high-income country but still has the lowest life expectancy at birth and the highest rate of people with multiple chronic diseases, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group.

Does the US have the worst health outcomes? ›

How does the quality of the U.S. health system compare to other countries? Despite spending more money per capita on healthcare than any similarly large and wealthy nation, the United States has a lower life expectancy than peer nations and has seen worsening health outcomes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is the US health care spending highest among developed countries? ›

Health expenditures per person in the U.S. were $12,555 in 2022, which was over $4,000 more than any other high-income nation. The average amount spent on health per person in comparable countries ($6,651) is about half of what the U.S. spends per person.

Does the US spend more on healthcare than other countries? ›

The United States spends twice as much per person on health as the average of peer nations. A number of studies have concluded that high prices are a major driver of this “excess” spending.

Does the United States spend more money on health care per person than any other country? ›

In 2022, the United States spent an estimated $12,555 per person on healthcare — the highest healthcare costs per capita across the OECD countries.

Why does the US spend too much money on health care but have the worst health outcomes? ›

People in the US see doctors less often than those in most other countries, which is probably related to the US having a below-average number of practicing physicians, according to the report, and the US is the only country among those studied that doesn't have universal health coverage.

What is the biggest problem with US healthcare? ›

A 2023 survey found that over half of U.S. individuals indicated the cost of accessing treatment was the biggest problem facing the national healthcare system. This is much higher than the global average of 31 percent and is in line with the high cost of health care in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries.

Does the United States pay more for health care costs than all out countries? ›

The United States has one of the highest costs of healthcare in the world. In 2022, U.S. healthcare spending reached $4.5 trillion, which averages to $13,493 per person. By comparison, the average cost of healthcare per person in other wealthy countries is less than half as much.

How unhealthy is America compared to other countries? ›

The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for avoidable or treatable conditions, the highest maternal and infant mortality, and among the highest suicide rates. The U.S. has the highest rate of people with multiple chronic conditions and an obesity rate nearly twice the OECD average.

Where does the US rank in healthcare in the world? ›

The United States ranks 11th in the 2022 World Index of Healthcare Innovation, down from 6th in 2021 and 4th in 2020.

Which country would spend the most on health care? ›

The United States is the highest spending country worldwide when it comes to health care.

Does the US spend more on healthcare than defense? ›

In 2023, major entitlement programs—Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare, and other health care programs—consumed 50 percent of all federal spending. Soon, this spending will be larger than the portion of spending for all other priorities (such as national defense) combined. What Funds the Federal Budget?

Who or what is really to blame for the skyrocketing costs of healthcare? ›

While there is general disagreement among the so-called experts as to the degree of impact of each component, almost everyone seems to agree that new technology – not physicians – is number one on the list of contributors to rising health care costs.

Is the US the most unhealthy country? ›

The U.S. has the highest rate of people with multiple chronic conditions and an obesity rate nearly twice the OECD average. Americans see physicians less often than people in most other countries and have among the lowest rate of practicing physicians and hospital beds per 1,000 population.

Where does the US rank in health outcomes? ›

U.S. Ranks Last Among Seven Countries on Health System Performance Measures | Commonwealth Fund.

Is America's leading health problem? ›

Heart disease and stroke still the leading causes of death for both U.S. men and women.

Which country has the most health problems? ›

Most Unhealthiest Countries In the World
  • Somalia. ...
  • Ethiopia. ...
  • Moldova. ...
  • Croatia. ...
  • India. ...
  • South Africa. ...
  • Slovenia. Slovenia has been included in the ranking for the unhealthiest countries due to its high consumption of alcohol. ...
  • Belarus. Belarus is declared unhealthy primarily due to the lifestyle choices of its citizens.
Apr 16, 2021

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