The increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is more significant than in any other country.

• More than any other country, the U.S. is experiencing an increase in health-care spending.
• Higher prices can result from limited competition due to a lack of choices in insurance plans.

Despite being the worst performer globally, the United States remains the leader in health spending, accounting for over 40% of the world's total expenditure.

In 1960, health-care spending accounted for 5% of the total U.S. GDP, while in 2020, it reached nearly 20%.

According to Cynthia Cox, vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, health care usually increases faster than inflation, resulting in a growing share of the economy.

In 2019, more than half of total health-care spending in the U.S. went towards hospitals, physicians, and clinical care, despite Americans not using more health care than people in other nations that spend less.

The fragmented nature of the U.S. system is one of the reasons for high spending on healthcare, with some Americans having comprehensive and affordable coverage while others have little to no coverage.

According to Yaseen Hayajneh, an associate professor of health administration at Western Connecticut State University, the current system structure focuses on treating illnesses rather than preventing them.

Dr. Tyeese Gaines, an emergency medicine physician and former practice owner, stated that preventing diseases from worsening always costs less.

Over 54% of Americans obtain their health insurance through their employer, limiting competition and potentially driving up prices.

According to Hayajneh, the capitalist view is effective when the market is unrestricted, but healthcare is never a free market.

The video above explains why health-care costs in the U.S. are rising at a higher rate than in any other country and provides solutions to stop this trend.