Out-of-pocket health expenditure — all countries

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — North America

Out-of-pocket health expenditure in North America in 2023 — 11.14%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 4.04 pp.

2023 11.14% −0.04 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 15.19%2000
Period minimum 10.25%2020

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of health expenditure

Out-of-pocket health expenditure — North America, 2000–2023101214162000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 15.19%2001: 14.48%2002: 14.39%2003: 14.2%2004: 14.04%2005: 13.99%2006: 13.8%2007: 13.72%2008: 13.49%2009: 12.8%2010: 12.58%2011: 12.52%2012: 12.52%2013: 12.44%2014: 12.14%2015: 11.91%2016: 11.83%2017: 11.58%2018: 11.54%2019: 11.52%2020: 10.25%2021: 10.93%2022: 11.18%2023: 11.14%
Change over the period: −4.04 pp Annual average: -0.18 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North America

North America 11.14%
World 17.33%
Out-of-pocket health expenditure — North America, by year North America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 11.14 −0.04 pp
2022 11.18 +0.25 pp
2021 10.93 +0.68 pp
2020 10.25 −1.27 pp
2019 11.52 −0.02 pp
2018 11.54 −0.04 pp
2017 11.58 −0.25 pp
2016 11.83 −0.08 pp
2015 11.91 −0.23 pp
2014 12.14 −0.29 pp
2013 12.44 −0.08 pp
2012 12.52 +0 pp
2011 12.52 −0.07 pp
2010 12.58 −0.21 pp
2009 12.8 −0.7 pp
2008 13.49 −0.23 pp
2007 13.72 −0.09 pp
2006 13.8 −0.19 pp
2005 13.99 −0.05 pp
2004 14.04 −0.16 pp
2003 14.2 −0.19 pp
2002 14.39 −0.09 pp
2001 14.48 −0.7 pp
2000 15.19

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.