U.S. Health Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

U.S. Health Statistics

Right now, U.S. health costs and care gaps are moving in opposite directions, with 13.6% of U.S. GDP spent on health care in 2023 and 1.3 trillion projected for administration by 2032, while 35.3% of adults say they did not get recommended care in the past 12 months. The page also tracks what people delay or miss because of cost, from 19.2% postponing medical care in 2022 to rising staffing and cybersecurity pressure, including 71% of organizations reporting ransomware attack attempts.

37 statistics37 sources11 sections7 min readUpdated 8 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

2.7% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported substance use disorder in 2023

Statistic 2

38.4% of U.S. adults had hypertension in 2021

Statistic 3

13.6% of U.S. GDP was spent on health care in 2023

Statistic 4

$14.0 billion total U.S. spending on medical supplies (projected 2024).

Statistic 5

28.8% of U.S. health spending is for physician and clinical services (2022).

Statistic 6

19.2% of adults delayed getting medical care in 2022 due to cost or other reasons (NHIS)

Statistic 7

67.2% of primary care HPSAs were located in rural or medically underserved communities in 2023 (HRSA distribution)

Statistic 8

$4.1 billion cost of health care data breaches in 2023 (average across breaches; HIPAA-covered entities and business associates)

Statistic 9

$1.3 trillion projected U.S. spending on health care administration by 2032 (national health expenditure administration component estimate)

Statistic 10

88% of nursing homes were in compliance with the federal minimum staffing requirements for at least one staffing measure after initial implementation (CMS final rule implementation update, 2024).

Statistic 11

12.2% of patients died within 30 days of hospitalization for pneumonia in 2022 (quality indicator rate)

Statistic 12

24.9% of adults aged 18–64 reported skipping mental health care due to cost or other reasons (2022).

Statistic 13

10.3% of U.S. adults delayed medical care in 2022 due to cost.

Statistic 14

35.3% of U.S. adults reported they did not get recommended care in the past 12 months (2022).

Statistic 15

63% of U.S. adults reported having a primary care doctor or provider (2022).

Statistic 16

15.2% of U.S. adults reported fair or poor health (2022).

Statistic 17

7.6% of U.S. adults reported having a disability (2022).

Statistic 18

8.7% of U.S. adults reported visiting an emergency department in the past 12 months (2022).

Statistic 19

12.5% of U.S. adults reported not receiving needed dental care in 2022.

Statistic 20

33.0% of adults reported not having a recent routine checkup in 2022 (AHRQ HCUP/MEPS-based estimate).

Statistic 21

36.0% of adults reported experiencing difficulty getting health care services due to structural barriers (2022).

Statistic 22

12.9 million U.S. adults (age 18+) had trouble getting or affording health care in 2022 (AHRQ).

Statistic 23

26.0% of adults aged 18–64 reported that they have been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes (NHIS, 2022).

Statistic 24

19.8% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported current asthma in 2022.

Statistic 25

4.4% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported having chronic kidney disease (2022).

Statistic 26

2.7% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported substance use disorder in 2023

Statistic 27

12.4% of U.S. adults reported having cancer (2022).

Statistic 28

7.2% of adults aged 18+ reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2022.

Statistic 29

5.8% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported having stroke (2022).

Statistic 30

17.8% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported being current smokers (2022).

Statistic 31

1.4% of people with cancer reported having not received treatment in the prior 12 months due to cost (2022).

Statistic 32

9.0% of adults reported having no usual source of health care (2022).

Statistic 33

46% of health system executives reported staffing shortages as a top concern (2024 HIMSS survey).

Statistic 34

61% of organizations reported using artificial intelligence (AI) for clinical documentation or workflow automation (2024 KLAS survey).

Statistic 35

65% of clinicians reported that interoperability (FHIR/HL7) is important to achieving better patient outcomes (2024 HIMSS survey).

Statistic 36

71% of surveyed health care organizations reported that they had experienced at least one ransomware attack attempt in the past 12 months (2024 IBM X-Force).

Statistic 37

13.2% of U.S. adults were uninsured at some point in 2022 (KFF Health Insurance Coverage).

Sources
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Sophie Moreland

Written by Sophie Moreland·Edited by David Sutherland·Fact-checked by Nikolas Papadopoulos

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 13, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Nearly 71% of surveyed health care organizations reported at least one ransomware attack attempt in the past 12 months, even as 13.6% of U.S. adults delayed medical care due to cost or other reasons. That mix of rising operational risk and untreated health needs is why the biggest U.S. health statistics are so hard to ignore. From chronic conditions and preventive care gaps to the projected growth of administration spending, the details below connect how people get care with what it costs to deliver it.

Key Takeaways

  • 2.7% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported substance use disorder in 2023
  • 38.4% of U.S. adults had hypertension in 2021
  • 13.6% of U.S. GDP was spent on health care in 2023
  • $14.0 billion total U.S. spending on medical supplies (projected 2024).
  • 28.8% of U.S. health spending is for physician and clinical services (2022).
  • 19.2% of adults delayed getting medical care in 2022 due to cost or other reasons (NHIS)
  • 67.2% of primary care HPSAs were located in rural or medically underserved communities in 2023 (HRSA distribution)
  • $4.1 billion cost of health care data breaches in 2023 (average across breaches; HIPAA-covered entities and business associates)
  • $1.3 trillion projected U.S. spending on health care administration by 2032 (national health expenditure administration component estimate)
  • 88% of nursing homes were in compliance with the federal minimum staffing requirements for at least one staffing measure after initial implementation (CMS final rule implementation update, 2024).
  • 12.2% of patients died within 30 days of hospitalization for pneumonia in 2022 (quality indicator rate)
  • 24.9% of adults aged 18–64 reported skipping mental health care due to cost or other reasons (2022).
  • 10.3% of U.S. adults delayed medical care in 2022 due to cost.
  • 35.3% of U.S. adults reported they did not get recommended care in the past 12 months (2022).
  • 26.0% of adults aged 18–64 reported that they have been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes (NHIS, 2022).

Rising health care costs and access barriers coincide with major chronic disease burdens and staffing and data risks.

Related reading

Public Health Burden

12.7% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported substance use disorder in 2023[1]
Single source
238.4% of U.S. adults had hypertension in 2021[2]
Verified

Public Health Burden Interpretation

The public health burden remains substantial as 38.4% of U.S. adults had hypertension in 2021 and 2.7% reported substance use disorder in 2023, underscoring how widespread chronic and behavioral health conditions continue to strain health systems.

Market Size

113.6% of U.S. GDP was spent on health care in 2023[3]
Verified
2$14.0 billion total U.S. spending on medical supplies (projected 2024).[4]
Single source
328.8% of U.S. health spending is for physician and clinical services (2022).[5]
Directional

Market Size Interpretation

With U.S. health care reaching 13.6% of GDP in 2023 and totaling $14.0 billion in medical supplies spending projected for 2024, plus 28.8% of health spending going to physician and clinical services in 2022, the market size story shows a large and still expanding healthcare spend concentrated in core care delivery and supporting supplies.

More related reading

Care Delivery

119.2% of adults delayed getting medical care in 2022 due to cost or other reasons (NHIS)[6]
Verified
267.2% of primary care HPSAs were located in rural or medically underserved communities in 2023 (HRSA distribution)[7]
Verified

Care Delivery Interpretation

From a care delivery perspective, cost barriers still keep 19.2% of adults from getting needed medical care, while 67.2% of primary care HPSAs are placed in rural or medically underserved communities, showing that improving access where it is most needed remains a central challenge.

Technology Adoption

1$4.1 billion cost of health care data breaches in 2023 (average across breaches; HIPAA-covered entities and business associates)[8]
Verified

Technology Adoption Interpretation

In 2023, U.S. healthcare data breaches cost an average of $4.1 billion, underscoring that wider technology adoption in health IT also brings significant cybersecurity risk that must be managed.

More related reading

Cost Analysis

1$1.3 trillion projected U.S. spending on health care administration by 2032 (national health expenditure administration component estimate)[9]
Directional
288% of nursing homes were in compliance with the federal minimum staffing requirements for at least one staffing measure after initial implementation (CMS final rule implementation update, 2024).[10]
Verified

Cost Analysis Interpretation

As a Cost Analysis priority, U.S. health care administration spending is projected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2032, and even with 88% of nursing homes meeting federal minimum staffing requirements, administrative costs are still on a steep upward trajectory.

Outcomes & Quality

112.2% of patients died within 30 days of hospitalization for pneumonia in 2022 (quality indicator rate)[11]
Directional

Outcomes & Quality Interpretation

In the Outcomes and Quality category, 12.2% of pneumonia patients died within 30 days of hospitalization in 2022, underscoring that a significant share of patients experience serious short term outcomes.

Access & Outcomes

124.9% of adults aged 18–64 reported skipping mental health care due to cost or other reasons (2022).[12]
Verified
210.3% of U.S. adults delayed medical care in 2022 due to cost.[13]
Verified
335.3% of U.S. adults reported they did not get recommended care in the past 12 months (2022).[14]
Verified
463% of U.S. adults reported having a primary care doctor or provider (2022).[15]
Directional
515.2% of U.S. adults reported fair or poor health (2022).[16]
Verified
67.6% of U.S. adults reported having a disability (2022).[17]
Verified
78.7% of U.S. adults reported visiting an emergency department in the past 12 months (2022).[18]
Verified
812.5% of U.S. adults reported not receiving needed dental care in 2022.[19]
Verified
933.0% of adults reported not having a recent routine checkup in 2022 (AHRQ HCUP/MEPS-based estimate).[20]
Single source
1036.0% of adults reported experiencing difficulty getting health care services due to structural barriers (2022).[21]
Verified
1112.9 million U.S. adults (age 18+) had trouble getting or affording health care in 2022 (AHRQ).[22]
Verified

Access & Outcomes Interpretation

For the Access & Outcomes angle, the data show that many adults are falling short on care, with 36.0% reporting difficulty getting health care services due to structural barriers and 35.3% saying they did not receive recommended care in the past 12 months in 2022.

More related reading

Disease Burden

126.0% of adults aged 18–64 reported that they have been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes (NHIS, 2022).[23]
Verified
219.8% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported current asthma in 2022.[24]
Verified
34.4% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported having chronic kidney disease (2022).[25]
Verified
42.7% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported substance use disorder in 2023[26]
Directional
512.4% of U.S. adults reported having cancer (2022).[27]
Verified
67.2% of adults aged 18+ reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2022.[28]
Verified
75.8% of U.S. adults (age 18+) reported having stroke (2022).[29]
Single source
817.8% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported being current smokers (2022).[30]
Verified
91.4% of people with cancer reported having not received treatment in the prior 12 months due to cost (2022).[31]
Verified

Disease Burden Interpretation

The disease burden on U.S. adults is broad and persistent, with rates like 26.0% living with diabetes or prediabetes and 17.8% currently smoking alongside other major conditions such as 12.4% cancer and 7.2% COPD.

Health Workforce

19.0% of adults reported having no usual source of health care (2022).[32]
Verified

Health Workforce Interpretation

In 2022, 9.0% of U.S. adults reported having no usual source of health care, underscoring a meaningful gap in access to the health workforce needed for consistent support.

More related reading

Policy & Regulation

113.2% of U.S. adults were uninsured at some point in 2022 (KFF Health Insurance Coverage).[37]
Verified

Policy & Regulation Interpretation

From a Policy and Regulation perspective, the fact that 13.2% of U.S. adults were uninsured at some point in 2022 highlights the ongoing reach of coverage gaps that rules and reforms still need to address.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). U.S. Health Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/u-s-health-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "U.S. Health Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/u-s-health-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "U.S. Health Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/u-s-health-statistics.

References

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