U.S. spends the most on healthcare

Healthcare spending in the United States exceeded that of 13 other high-income countries, according to a study from The Commonwealth Group. In 2013, the United States spent 17% of its gross domestic product on healthcare; the next highest percentage was France and Sweden, at about 12% each.

Data was collected from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as from other sources, to assess U.S. healthcare system spending, supply, utilization, and prices relative to other countries. The data used in the study found that U.S. healthcare prices are higher than other countries. The average price of bypass surgery was $75,000 in the U.S. This is more than $30,000 higher than in the second-highest country, Australia, where the procedure costs $42,130. MRIs and CT scans were also more expensive in the U.S. The study also found that Americans use expensive technology like MRI machines more than other countries. Americans had the highest per capita rates of MRI, CT, and PET exams among the countries where data were available.

Source: The Commonwealth Fund