Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — European Union

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in the European Union in 2024 — 13.04%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 2.57 pp.

2024 13.04% −1.83 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 16.44%2012
Period minimum 13.04%2024

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — European Union, 2000–202413141516172000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 15.61%2001: 15.47%2002: 15.39%2003: 15.47%2004: 15.86%2005: 15.73%2006: 16.08%2007: 16.05%2008: 16.15%2009: 15.74%2010: 16.07%2011: 16.26%2012: 16.44%2013: 16.12%2014: 16.23%2015: 16.24%2016: 15.91%2017: 16.05%2018: 15.95%2019: 15.88%2020: 14.53%2021: 14.73%2022: 14.65%2023: 14.88%2024: 13.04%
Change over the period: −2.57 pp Annual average: -0.11 pp
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — European Union, by year European Union All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 13.04 −1.83 pp
2023 14.88 +0.23 pp
2022 14.65 −0.08 pp
2021 14.73 +0.2 pp
2020 14.53 −1.35 pp
2019 15.88 −0.07 pp
2018 15.95 −0.11 pp
2017 16.05 +0.15 pp
2016 15.91 −0.33 pp
2015 16.24 +0.02 pp
2014 16.23 +0.11 pp
2013 16.12 −0.32 pp
2012 16.44 +0.18 pp
2011 16.26 +0.19 pp
2010 16.07 +0.33 pp
2009 15.74 −0.4 pp
2008 16.15 +0.1 pp
2007 16.05 −0.03 pp
2006 16.08 +0.34 pp
2005 15.73 −0.13 pp
2004 15.86 +0.39 pp
2003 15.47 +0.08 pp
2002 15.39 −0.08 pp
2001 15.47 −0.14 pp
2000 15.61

About the indicator

Payments people make for medical care directly at the point of use — as a percent of all current health expenditure in the country. Insurance contributions and taxes are excluded: only what a person takes out of their pocket at the counter. The indicator is considered a key measure of financial protection: the higher it is, the more often illness means ruin, and WHO tracks it as an indicator of the risk of catastrophic household spending.

Important: A high value means weak protection, not an active private sector: voluntary insurance is not part of this indicator, so a country with developed private insurance can have a low share of out-of-pocket payments.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.