Key Statistics in

US Healthcare Today

Soraya Ghebleh

The United States is the

only wealthy, industrialized

nation that does not have a

universal health care system.

Sour

ce: I

nstit

ute

of M

edic

ine

Health care expenditures

in the United States were

nearly $2.6 trillion in 2010,

an average of $8,402 per

person.

Sour

ce: C

ente

rs fo

r M

edic

are

&

Med

icai

d S

ervi

ces

75% of all health care dollars are spent on

patients with one or more

chronic conditions, many of

which can be prevented,

including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, lung

disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Sour

ce: H

ealth

Aff

airs

Sour

ce: C

DC

, NC

HS

Dat

a Br

ief,

Num

ber

23,

Nov

emb

er 2

009

In 2005, the United States

ranked 30th in infant mortality. Singapore has

the lowest rate with 2.1

deaths per 1000 live births,

while the United States has

a rate of 6.9 deaths per

1000 live births. Infant mortality is considered an

important indicator of the

health of a nation.

Nearly two-thirds, or 62%,

of all bankruptcy filings in

the United States in 2007

were due to illness or medical bills.

Sour

ce: A

mer

ican

Jour

nal o

f M

edic

ine,

June

200

9

The primary reason given

for lack of health insurance

coverage in 2005 was cost

(more than 50%), lost job

or a change in employment

(24%), Medicaid benefits

stopped (10%), ineligibility for family

insurance coverage due to

age or leaving school (8%). So

urce

: Nat

iona

l Cen

ter

for

Hea

lth S

tatis

tics

Sour

ce: K

aise

r Fa

mily

Fou

ndat

ion,

M

ay 2

012

Half of health care spending is used to treat

just 5% of the population.

Sour

ce: K

aise

r Fa

mily

Fo

und

atio

n, M

ay 2

012

The share of the economy

devoted to health care has

increased from 7.2% in

1970 to 17.9% in 2009 and

2010.

Sour

ce: K

aise

r Fa

mily

Fo

und

atio

n, M

ay 2

012

The U.S. spends substantially more on

health care than other

developed countries. As of

2009, health spending in

the U.S. was about 90%

higher than in many other

industrialized countries.

The most likely causes are

higher prices, more readily

accessible technology, and

greater obesity.

Sour

ce: C

IA F

actb

ook

(201

1)

Life expectancy at birth in

the United States is an estimated 78.49 years,

which ranks 50th in highest

total life expectancy compared to other

countries.

Sour

ce: H

arva

rd M

edic

al S

choo

l

Stud

y, A

mer

ican

Jour

nal o

f Pub

lic

Hea

lth, D

ecem

ber

200

9

Lack of health insurance is

associated with as many as

44,789 deaths per year in

the United States.