Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021
Characteristic
Percentage of older adults
Switzerland
34%
United States
20%
Australia
19%
Canada
12%
New Zealand
11%
Germany
5%
Norway
5%
Netherlands
4%
France
4%
United Kingdom
4%
Sweden
4%
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All respondents: 18,477 adults age 65 and older across 11 countries: Australia (501), Canada (4,332), France (1,751), Germany (1,163), Netherlands (630), New Zealand (500), Norway (500), Sweden (3,018), Switzerland (2,597), United Kingdom (1,876), United States (1,609).
Sample size for Norway was <100, and therefore results are not shown here.
Citation formats
Share of older adults with high out-of-pocket health costs worldwide 2021
In 2021, older adults in Switzerland were most likely to report out-of-pocket health care costs of more than 2,000 U.S. dollars compared to other high-income countries. The United States came second in this ranking of older adults having high out-of-pocket costs. The situation of high health costs is not as bad in the U.S. among older adults due to the Medicare program. However, in the U.S. high health costs coupled with a large number of uninsured means that for adults under 65 years, a much higher percentage had trouble paying medical bills compared to other high-income countries.
This statistic presents the percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021.
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Commonwealth Fund. (October 1, 2021). Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved August 06, 2026, from /statistics/1289891/high-out-of-pocket-health-costs-among-older-adults-worldwide/
Commonwealth Fund. "Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021 ." Chart. October 1, 2021. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed August 06, 2026. /statistics/1289891/high-out-of-pocket-health-costs-among-older-adults-worldwide/
Commonwealth Fund. (2021). Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021 . ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 06, 2026. /statistics/1289891/high-out-of-pocket-health-costs-among-older-adults-worldwide/
Commonwealth Fund. "Percentage of Adults Aged 65 and Older Who Reported Out-of-pocket Health Costs of More than 2,000 Usd in The past Year in Select High-income Countries in 2021 ." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 1 Oct 2021, /statistics/1289891/high-out-of-pocket-health-costs-among-older-adults-worldwide/
Commonwealth Fund, Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1289891/high-out-of-pocket-health-costs-among-older-adults-worldwide/ (last visited August 06, 2026)
Percentage of adults aged 65 and older who reported out-of-pocket health costs of more than 2,000 USD in the past year in select high-income countries in 2021 [Graph], Commonwealth Fund, October 1, 2021. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1289891/high-out-of-pocket-health-costs-among-older-adults-worldwide/
