Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Latin America & Caribbean

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean in 2023 — 29.69%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 8.53 pp.

2023 29.69% −0.07 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 41.51%2003
Period minimum 26.96%2017

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Latin America & Caribbean, 2000–202325303540452000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 38.22%2001: 39.85%2002: 41.5%2003: 41.51%2004: 40.66%2005: 40.72%2006: 39.33%2007: 37.43%2008: 34.87%2009: 33.27%2010: 31.49%2011: 30.74%2012: 30.94%2013: 29.92%2014: 29.77%2015: 28.25%2016: 28.07%2017: 26.96%2018: 28.11%2019: 28.13%2020: 27.37%2021: 28.95%2022: 29.75%2023: 29.69%
Change over the period: −8.53 pp Annual average: -0.37 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Latin America & Caribbean

Latin America & Caribbean 29.69%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — Latin America & Caribbean, by year Latin America & Caribbean All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 29.69 −0.07 pp
2022 29.75 +0.8 pp
2021 28.95 +1.59 pp
2020 27.37 −0.76 pp
2019 28.13 +0.01 pp
2018 28.11 +1.16 pp
2017 26.96 −1.11 pp
2016 28.07 −0.18 pp
2015 28.25 −1.52 pp
2014 29.77 −0.15 pp
2013 29.92 −1.02 pp
2012 30.94 +0.21 pp
2011 30.74 −0.75 pp
2010 31.49 −1.78 pp
2009 33.27 −1.6 pp
2008 34.87 −2.56 pp
2007 37.43 −1.9 pp
2006 39.33 −1.39 pp
2005 40.72 +0.06 pp
2004 40.66 −0.85 pp
2003 41.51 +0.01 pp
2002 41.5 +1.65 pp
2001 39.85 +1.63 pp
2000 38.22

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.