Category: International Comparisons

Compared to Peer Countries, the U.S. Had the Highest Rate of Mortality Among People Under Age 65 and Potential Years of Life Lost in 2020 Due to the Pandemic

A new KFF issue brief examines 2020 data on excess mortality – the number of deaths above what is expected in a typical year – and finds that among similarly large and wealthy nations, the United States had the highest premature excess mortality …

Analysis: COVID-19 Ranks as a Top 3 Leading Cause of Death in the U.S., Higher than in Almost All Other Peer Countries

A new KFF analysis examines leading causes of death and mortality rates in the United States and comparable countries. The U.S. has a higher COVID-19 mortality rate than many of its peer countries, with COVID-19 ranking as the nation’s third-leading ca…

The Pandemic’s Effect on the Widening Gap in Mortality Rate between the U.S. and Peer Countries

A new KFF brief looks at where COVID-19 falls as a leading cause of death in the U.S. compared to similarly large and wealthy countries. The analysis finds that COVID-19 mortality rates are the third leading cause of death in the U.S., a ranking shared…

The Cost of Inpatient and Outpatient Care Drives High Health Spending in the U.S. Relative to Other Countries, New Analysis Finds

A new KFF issue brief compares the main drivers of health spending in the United States and other large, wealthy countries, and finds that the cost of inpatient and outpatient care – much more so than prescription drugs or administrative costs – drives…

What Do We Know About Spending Related to Public Health in the U.S. and Comparable Countries?

A new chart collection examines what we know about public health spending in the U.S. and comparable countries. The chart collection explores high-level trends in spending on public health and prevention in the U.S., and finds that while the U.S. spend…

What Drives Health Spending in the U.S. Compared to Other Countries

A new issue brief looks at the drivers of health spending in the U.S., and key differences between the U.S. and other large, wealthy nations. The analysis finds that the cost of inpatient and outpatient care (which encompasses primary care, services at…

Updated Dashboard Features New Data on U.S. Health System Performance

Newly updated and expanded, the Peterson-KFF Health System Dashboard compiles data on the U.S. health system’s performance in four areas: access and affordability, health and well-being, health spending, and quality of care. Users can explore trends ov…

Health System Dashboard

The Peterson-KFF Health System Dashboard examines the U.S. health system’s performance in four areas: access and affordability, health and well-being, health spending, and quality of care. Users can explore trends over time, as well as disparities and …

How does the quality of the U.S. health care system compare to other countries?

This chart collection compare health outcomes, quality of care, and access to services between the U.S. and peer countries. While inconsistent and imperfect metrics make it difficult to firmly assess system-wide health quality in the U.S., a review of …

How Prepared is the U.S. to Respond to COVID-19 Relative to Other Countries?

Compared to most similarly large and wealthy countries, the U.S. has fewer practicing physicians per capita but has a similar number of licensed nurses per capita. Looking specifically at the hospital setting, the U.S. has more hospital-based employees…