You're right -- More than $1.7 Trillion (15% of the U.S. GDP) is spent on health care every year.  This is the highest percent of GDP spent for health care of any country in the world (Switzerland is #2). Click here to see the table of comparisons for healthcare   expenditures as a % of GDP, between economically developed countries. In the U.S. (in 2003), the spending on health care was $5635 per person.  This is the largest amount spent per person of any economically advanced country in the world.  This is 48% more than the next highest national spending level -- Norway, at $3807 per person.  Norway's health system includes free hospital care, physician's compensation, cash benefits during illness and pregnancy, and other medical and dental plans.  Many people in Washington, D.C. (including everyone in the U.S. Congress) have plans like this, but most of us don't!  Click here to see the table comparing healthcare expenditures per capita, between economically developed countries. Expenditure data:  Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, "OECD Health Data 2005", www.oecd.org, and "Paying More but Getting Less:  Myths and the Global Case for U.S. Health Reform", November 2005, Tom Daschle, Center for American Progress Information on Norway's health care system:  U.S. Department of State, "Country Background Notes", 2006.