U.S. medical care is improving, but cost and health differ depending on disease

Medical Xpress

March 1, 2026

Over two decades, medical care improvements have increased health spans in the U.S. by 1.3 years and medical spending by $234,000 per person over their lifetime—or about $182,000 per additional healthy year of life gained—when measured from birth. These are among the key findings in a new in-depth national study published today in Value in Health.