Health Care : Current Reviews

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The Healthcare System: A Background

Nicola Travierso*

On average, European countries spend 9.9% of their GDP for healthcare. While northern-European countries are generally considered the most munificent, France and Germany top the ranking for the EU proper, followed closely by Sweden, Austria, and the Netherlands. Across the continent, but outside the Union, Switzerland is the most generous spender at 12% of GDP, a world class figure second only to the US, followed closely by Norway. While the percentages are likely not to change too wildly, the GDP of most European countries will contract over the next year or two. As a result, due in part to the constraints established by the Stability Pact, national healthcare budgets will likely shrink. It is too early to say if Covid 19’s impact will be more devastating in the countries with a more fragile health care system, but it’s rare to see costcutting leading to better public health outcomes.