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Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — High-income countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in high-income countries in 2023 — 19.69%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 4.33 pp.

2023 19.69% +0.27 pp vs 2022
World rank —
Period maximum 24.02%2000
Period minimum 18.67%2020

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — High-income countries, 2000–202318202224262000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 24.02%2001: 23.68%2002: 23.52%2003: 23.23%2004: 23.75%2005: 23.43%2006: 23.23%2007: 22.98%2008: 22.88%2009: 22.17%2010: 21.81%2011: 21.75%2012: 21.74%2013: 21.48%2014: 21.58%2015: 21.6%2016: 21.5%2017: 21.34%2018: 21.21%2019: 20.72%2020: 18.67%2021: 18.78%2022: 19.42%2023: 19.69%
Change over the period: −4.33 pp Annual average: -0.19 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: High-income countries

High-income countries 19.69%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — High-income countries, by year High-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 19.69 +0.27 pp
2022 19.42 +0.64 pp
2021 18.78 +0.11 pp
2020 18.67 −2.05 pp
2019 20.72 −0.49 pp
2018 21.21 −0.13 pp
2017 21.34 −0.16 pp
2016 21.5 −0.11 pp
2015 21.6 +0.02 pp
2014 21.58 +0.11 pp
2013 21.48 −0.27 pp
2012 21.74 −0.01 pp
2011 21.75 −0.06 pp
2010 21.81 −0.36 pp
2009 22.17 −0.72 pp
2008 22.88 −0.1 pp
2007 22.98 −0.25 pp
2006 23.23 −0.2 pp
2005 23.43 −0.33 pp
2004 23.75 +0.53 pp
2003 23.23 −0.3 pp
2002 23.52 −0.16 pp
2001 23.68 −0.34 pp
2000 24.02 —

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.

Other indicators for high-income countries

Healthcare Government health expenditure (% of GDP)

How much the state spends on health relative to the size of the economy.

High-income countries by year Healthcare Health expenditure (% of GDP)

All current health spending — government and private — as a percent of GDP.

High-income countries by year Healthcare Universal health coverage index

A composite estimate of how far the population is supplied with the medical care it needs. A scale from 0 to 100.

High-income countries by year Healthcare Health expenditure per capita

How much is spent on health per person a year, in US dollars.

High-income countries by year Healthcare Hospital beds per 1,000 people

The number of hospital beds per 1,000 people — the capacity of inpatient care.

High-income countries by year
All indicators for high-income countries