r(Lisq. BUSINESS Why U.S. Health Care Is Obscenely Expensive, In 12 Charts Katy Hall & Jan Diehm: 10/03/2013 The U.S. leads the world in health care spending, but we don't live very long, and going to the doctor is so expensive that we don't do it very often. So where is the money going? Not toward obesity-related diseases or unnecessary tests and treatments, as the writer John Green pointed out in a recent video explainer. From Lipitor to childbirth to colonoscopies -- everything just costs a whole lot. As congressional Republicans continue to keep the federal government closed following misguided attempts to defund the most significant health care reform in decades, here are some illustrations of the wasteful spending. The U.S. spends more on health care than other industrialized countries. — Pr capita spending (Percentage of GDP) 55,099 $4,522 64.448 54,495 (11.9%) (11 2%) (10 9%) $4,118 (11.3%) $3,800 (11 6%) (8 9%) 53,182 (10.3%) $5,669 (9.3%) I 1 V A o 4 i -2 Z C > • 0 • a; O f. Korn! Due n fatin 2011 nt neat yen. Nit slut laud, tptuthng me/mud a. cumnt cape/Winne. New Zealand numbers dubs& tntminctua. Santry OECD Health Data 11111 Ma z e of 7 $3,925 (9 5%) $5,643 (11.0%) I S3,405 (9 4%) $8,508 (17 7%) t 7 "2 E "Ls,' -g, c § THE HUFFINGTON POST EFTA_R1_01946372 EFTA02672642