According to the literature, international variations in the aggregate health care spending
can be broadly explained by the differences in the level of economic development.
Investment in new technologies, more sophisticated and effective treatment methods,
higher standards of living, public expectations for higher quality of treatment – all those
factors contributing to the rise in expenditure are more prevalent in the most developed
countries, but also spread to the other ones as the gaps in real income between countries
shrink due to the real convergence processes.