The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker provides clear, up-to-date information on trends, drivers and issues that impact the performance of the system. It also illustrates how the U.S. is performing relative to other countries and how different parts of the system are performing relative to one another. A partnership of the Peterson Center on Healthcare and the KFF, the Tracker’s work goal places a heavy emphasis on data and evidence, addressing key questions through collections of charts, which provide data with additional context and synthesis of the latest research and developments. The Tracker also provide regular insight briefs for a more in-depth look at topical questions.
Featured Peterson-KFF Resources
The Burden of Medical Debt in the United States
This analysis uses government data to examine the burden of medical debt, including variations based on age, race and ethnicity, and health status . It estimates 9% of adults – or roughly 23 million people -owe medical debt, including 11 million who owe more than $2,000.
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Related Peterson-KFF Resources
- COVID-19 preventable mortality
- Many households do not have enough money to pay cost-sharing typical in private health plans
- Unvaccinated COVID patients cost the U.S. health system billions of dollars
- Most private insurers are no longer waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment
- Few Adults Are Aware of Hospital Price Transparency Requirements
- Surprise Bills Vary by Diagnosis and Type of Admission
- Overall inflation has not yet flowed through to the health sector
- How does the quality of the U.S. health care system compare to other countries?
- Health System Dashboard
National Health Spending Explorer
The Health Spending Explorer on the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker helps users examine five decades worth of numbers documenting expenditures by federal and local governments, private insurers, and individuals on 15 categories of health services, including hospitals, physician and clinic care, and prescription drugs.
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ACA’s Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limit Is Growing Faster Than Wages
This analysis finds that the ACA’s maximum out-of-pocket limit is likely to grow faster than wages and salaries, and is also expected to grow faster than the maximum out-of-pocket limit for Health Savings Account (HSA)-qualified health plans.
An Early Look at What is Driving Health Costs in 2023 ACA Markets
This analysis of marketplace insurers’ early rate filings in 13 states and the District of Columbia finds that they are seeking higher premium increases than in recent years, largely due to rising prices paid to hospitals, doctors and drug companies and increased use of services by enrollees.
Women who Give Birth Incur Nearly $19,000 in Additional Health Costs, Including $2,854 More that They Pay Out of Pocket
The health care costs associated with pregnancy and childbirth average almost $19,000, including $2,854 paid out-of-pocket, a new KFF analysis of large employers’ insurance claims finds. Unlike other analyses that examine costs of specific pregnancy-related services, such as a vaginal or cesarean delivery, this new analysis compares three years of…
Health Costs Associated with Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Postpartum Care
This analysis looks at the health care costs associated with pregnancy, including prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care. It finds women who give birth incur an extra $18,865 in total health care spending than other women. including $2,854 paid out-of-pocket.
Overall inflation has not yet flowed through to the health sector
Prices for medical services typically rise more quickly than the broader economy, but the reverse has been true recently as general inflation rose rapidly. The recent trend reflects the unusually high inflation affecting other parts of the economy, which could bleed over to affect health care costs at some point.
COVID-19 preventable mortality
This updated analysis estimates that nationally at least 234,000 deaths from COVID-19 between June 2021 and March 2022 could have been prevented with a primary series of vaccinations. These vaccine-preventable deaths represent 60% of all adult COVID-19 deaths since June 2021, when vaccines first became widely available.
Out-of-pocket spending on insulin among people with private insurance
This analysis of insurance claims data finds that Congressional proposals to set a $35 per month cap on what people pay out of pocket for insulin would provide financial relief to at least 1 out of 5 insulin users with different types of private health insurance.
COVID-19 leading cause of death ranking
This updated analysis examines COVID-19’s effect on mortality rates, and estimates that in January 2022, COVID-19 was number two on the list of leading causes of death in the U.S.
The Burden of Medical Debt in the United States
This analysis uses government data to examine the burden of medical debt, including variations based on age, race and ethnicity, and health status . It estimates 9% of adults – or roughly 23 million people -owe medical debt, including 11 million who owe more than $2,000.