National health expenditure U.S. by category 2021

In 2021, of the total 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars spent on U.S. health care expenditures 31.4 percent went to hospital care, while 9.7 percent was spent on prescription drugs. This statistic shows the distribution of national health care expenditure in the U.S. from 2015 to 2021, by category.

Distribution of national health care expenditure in the U.S. from 2015 to 2020, by category

Characteristic	Hospital care	Physician and clinical services	Prescription drugs	Nursing care*	Other**
2021	31.4%	20.3%	9.7%	4.5%	34.1%
2020	30.8%	19.6%	8.4%	4.8%	36.4%
2019	31.8%	20.4%	9%	4.6%	34.2%
2018	31.1%	20.4%	9%	4.7%	34.8%
2017	31.3%	20.6%	9.2%	4.7%	34.2%
2016	31.3%	20.4%	9.5%	4.9%	33.9%
2015	31.3%	20.1%	9.9%	4.9%	33.8%

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Release date

December 2022

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Region

United States

Survey time period

2015 to 2020

Supplementary notes

* Nursing care facilities and continuing care retirement communities. Includes freestanding facilities only. Additional services of this type provided in hospital-based facilities are counted as hospital care.
** Includes: other professional services; dental services; home health care; other health, residential, and personal care; durable and other non-durable medical products; government administration; net cost of health insurance; government public health activities; investment

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