Alone among industrialized nations, the United States lacks a national health insurance system. Forty million Americans lack any form of health insurance; many more face losing their job-linked coverage in company layoffs. Meanwhile, US annual spending for health care totals $4,600 per capita, over twice the average of other industrial countries. Health care expenditure totals a world-leading 14% of GDP stands, for a grand total of $1.3 trillion--and rising.
Alone among industrialized nations, the United States lacks a national health insurance system. Forty million Americans lack any form of health insurance; many more face losing their job-linked coverage in company layoffs. Meanwhile, US annual spending for health care totals $4,600 per capita, over twice the average of other industrial countries. Health care expenditure totals a world-leading 14% of GDP stands, for a grand total of $1.3 trillion--and rising.