Final answer:
The proportion of total federal spending on national defense has decreased while spending on Social Security and healthcare (Medicare and Medicaid) has risen. The U.S. spends 17% of its GDP on healthcare, more than comparable countries. A direct ratio of healthcare to defense spending is not provided, but healthcare's share has grown significantly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Since 1960, total federal spending as a percentage of GDP has fluctuated, but has seen notable trends in certain areas. Specifically, the share spent on national defense has generally declined, while the share spent on Social Security and healthcare expenses, mainly Medicare and Medicaid, has increased. It's important to note that comparing spending over time in nominal dollars can be misleading because it doesn't account for factors like inflation or changes in population and economy size. Therefore, examining government spending as a percentage of GDP over time is more informative.
In relation to healthcare, it is significant that the United States spends a larger share of its GDP on healthcare compared to other developed countries. Despite this higher expenditure, the U.S. faces poorer outcomes, such as higher infant mortality rates and shorter life expectancy. As of 2019, the U.S. spent 17% of its GDP on health care, while comparable countries spent around 11%
Comparison Between Healthcare and Defense Spending
While a direct comparison in the form of a ratio between healthcare spending and national defense spending is not explicitly provided in the provided resources, we do see that healthcare expenses have risen as a share of federal spending. Thus, health care spending has not only grown substantially in comparison to national defense but also in terms of its weight within the total budget over the past several decades.