The High Concentration of U.S. Health Care Expenditures

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Table 1. Distribution of Health Care Expenses for the U.S. Population, by Percent of Total: Selected Years, 1977-2002

Percent of U.S. population ranked by expenses	1977	1980	1987	1996	2002
Top 1 percent	27%	29%	28%	28%	22%
Top 5 percent	55%	55%	56%	56%	49%
Bottom 50 percent	3%	4%	3%	3%	3%

Sources: Berk ML, Monheit AC. The concentration of health expenditures: an update. Health Aff (Millwood) 1992 Winter; 145-9.
Yu WW, Ezzati-Rice TM. Concentration of health care expenses in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Statistical Brief #81. May 2005. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. Web site: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st81/stat81.pdf. Accessed April 7, 2006.

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