American taxpayers footed the bill for at least $1.8 trillion in federal and state health care expenditures in 2022 — about 41% of the nearly $4.5 trillion in both public and private health care spending the U.S. recorded last year, according to the annual report released last week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
On top of that $1.8 trillion, third-party programs, which are often government-funded, and public health programs accounted for another $600 billion in spending.
This means the U.S. government spent more on health care last year than the governments of Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Austria, and France combined spent to provide universal health care coverage to the whole of their population (335 million in total), which is comparable in size to the U.S. population of 331 million.
Between direct public spending and compulsory, tax-driven insurance programs, Germany spent about $380 billion in health care in 2022; France spent around $300 billion, and so did the U.K.; Italy, $147 billion; Spain, $105 billion; and Austria, $43 billion. The total, $1.2 trillion, is about two-thirds of what the U.S. government spent without offering all of its citizens the option of forgoing private insurance.
Even if you consider the population about the same, the healthcare costs in Europe are about half of what they are in the US, so the fact that they spend 30% more than 0.9T is basically them spending 30% per citizen on the proportional healthcare. The real benefit is also, y’know, not going bankrupt over healthcare fees…
The population of the US is more, although not by much. I pointed it out because the results from the article are different, claiming the population from those countries is more than that of the US (no, it isn’t) with very different numbers, which hints at the hand they are playing.
Study is also worthless because this is also assuming same for same engagement for services, but that is doubtful as most US citizens attempt to avoid Healthcare as if something isn’t covered, you may involuntarily bankrupt yourself. In the other countries listed, there is a lack of fear so a average citizen may be engaging with their healthcare system more often.
Being able to engage more freely with your doctor also helps keep the healthcare costs down because people can solve their health issues before they really become costly.
one reason the costs are lower in Europe is bc govts over there put strict limits on how much providers can charge for services and prescriptions, which is something the US refuses to do. Healthcare costs in the US are made up by pharma companies depending on how much they think they can get away with.
only a conservative could say “yeah, it’s less money overall but it’s more money once you normalize to assume that it’s the same amount of money”
you’re talking shit, man. stop it.
Sorry you find logic so difficult. It’s as simple as healthcare cost in US is higher, therefore costs more. Almost every comment except yours that replied to mine understood this really utterly simple fact to understand, but considering how you devolve the discussion into name calling, I don’t really believe you had any other intent than trolling.