Out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama
Panama: Out-of-pocket expenditure was 40.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
In 2023, out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama stood at 40.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama peaked at 40.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 29.2%, in 2008.
That places Panama 57th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 30.7% | — |
| 2001 | 31.9% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 32.6% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 33.1% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 32.4% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 35.8% | +10.7% |
| 2006 | 33.3% | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 30.0% | -10.1% |
| 2008 | 29.2% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 29.7% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 31.4% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 34.2% | +8.7% |
| 2012 | 34.8% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 32.3% | -7.2% |
| 2014 | 31.8% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 33.0% | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 32.7% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 31.9% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 35.7% | +11.9% |
| 2019 | 37.6% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 39.6% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 37.3% | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 40.9% | +9.5% |
| 2023 | 40.5% | -1.0% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 40.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.8%, 2.4× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Panama's 40.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 29.3%, 1.4× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 31.9% | 29.2% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.5% | 31.4% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.6% | 37.3% | 40.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 54 Palestine, State of 42.1% compare
- 55 Saint Kitts and Nevis 41.8% compare
- 56 Mexico 41.2% compare
- 58 North Macedonia 39.6% compare
- 59 Viet Nam 39.2% compare
- 60 Chile 39.1% compare
More health data for Panama
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5994 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,074 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 101 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.2522 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0378 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.3451 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama?
- Out-of-pocket expenditure in Panama was 40.5% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 40.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest out-of-pocket expenditure recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.2% in 2008.
- How does Panama rank for out-of-pocket expenditure?
- Panama ranks 57th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is out-of-pocket expenditure rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Out-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of out-of-pocket payments of total current health expenditures. Out-of-pocket payments are spending on health directly out-of-pocket by households.