Concentration of Health Spending in the U.S., 2004
The top 1% of the population was responsible for almost a quarter (23%) of U.S. health spending in 2004, and the half of the population with the lowest expenses accounted for only 3% of the total.

Notes: Population includes those without any health care spending and excludes those living in institutions. Health spending is defined as total payments, or the sum of spending by all payer sources.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation calculations using data from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), 2004.

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