2013
In 2011, the most recent year in which most of the countries reported data, the U.S. spent 17.7% of its GDP on health care, whereas none of the other countries tracked by the OECD reported more than 11.9%. And there’s a debate about just how well the American health-care system works. As the Journal reported recently, Americans are living longer but not necessarily healthier .
via U.S. Health Spending: One of These Things Not Like Others – Real Time Economics – WSJ.
According to a post on NPR blog one in eight Americans work in the health care industry
The workforce numbers don’t even count people who work for pharmaceutical or health insurance companies. Health insurance employs another 2.5 million, plus think of government workers and private sector workers involved in health benefits.
So you want to cut health care spending; put private insurers out of business? Have we ever thought what all this cutting would do to the U.S. economy? The Pentagon wants to close bases too, but we frequently don’t allow that to happen. Let’s face it, chances are one of your neighbors works in a job touched by health care spending. Next time you see them, give them a heads up … I want to eliminate your job, my premiums are too high.
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