Talk of the end of American exceptionalism seems to be everywhere lately, but in at least one area, the United States inarguably reigns supreme. Currently, per capita health care expenditures in the U.S. are approaching $8,000 a year, far more than anywhere else in the world. The nation with the second-highest per capita cost, Norway, spends $2,500 less per person per year. What do Americans get for their money? A life expectancy of 78.2 years, slightly ahead of Panama and Libya.