The bar chart above depicts the percentage of health spending as a percentage of the GDP of twelve European nations across the ten-year period from 2002 to 2012. Generally, there are significant disparities between the nations in terms of expenditure, with both high and low levels of spending, as well as increases and decreases over time.
Over the period, five nations (Denmark, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Slovenia) recorded a net increase, all being 1%, while three (France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) recorded a net decrease. Only four nations (Belgium, Estonia, Spain, and Switzerland) experienced no change in their percentage. Interestingly, France had first raised its spending percentage from 10% to 11% in 2007, and then decreased to 9% in 2012. The Netherlands, however, charted a steady decrease from 10% in 2002 to 8% in 2012.
Also, there is a gap between the levels of spending between different states, ranging from 3% (Estonia) to 11% (Switzerland). Still, most nations maintained a level of at least 8% over the decade, which was almost three times that of the spending percentage of Estonia.
Overall, the amount of money spent on healthcare differs dramatically between the different countries. Furthermore, it appears that medical spending fluctuates year upon year in many of the countries surveyed.