For the U.S. and comparable countries, inpatient and outpatient care was the largest category of per-capita health spending in 2018, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Per capita health spending in the U.S. was twice that of other comparable countries, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The inpatient and outpatient spending category was the main driver of outsized U.S. spending compared to other countries. Administrative spending was the second top contributor to the difference in spending.
Total U.S. healthcare spending per capita: $10,637
Inpatient and outpatient: $6,624
Prescription drugs and medical goods: $1,397
Administrative: $937
Long-term care: $516
Preventive care: $309
Other: $854
Average healthcare spending per capita in comparable countries: $5,527
Inpatient and outpatient: $2,718
Prescription drugs and medical goods: $884
Administrative: $201
Long-term care: $1,111
Preventive care: $175
Other: $439