Comparing Health Care Costs in Different Countries

Comparing the costs of different health care systems can be a challenging problem. In the US, most potential doctors are generally expected to pay for their own education and then charge enough for their services later to recoup the present value of that investment. In some other countries, the state pays to educate most would be doctors, and so they demand less compensation after graduation.

All other things being equal, the total cost should be about the same. However, the US probably counts more of that cost in the health care category, even if total spending is similar and ultimately devoted to similar purposes.