Bermuda has a more expensive health care system than 24 out of 25 countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Only Americans pay more for their health care than people on the Island — with nations including the UK, Canada, Germany, Portugal and Spain all paying much less.

But only three OECD countries have a lower life expectancy than Bermuda, according to the figures obtained by Bermuda Health Council. BHeC has released the statistics as it seeks to find ways to give people better value for money for their health care as part of its strategic plan for the next three years.

Figures show Bermuda's per capita health expenditure is $3,581, compared to $4,987 in the US; $1,992 in the UK; $1,613 in Portugal; $2,792 in Canada; $2,561 in France; $1,600 in Spain; and $911 in Hungary.

Bermuda's life expectancy of 77 compares to 77.1 in the US; 78.1 in the UK; 76.9 in Portugal; 79.6 in Canada; 79.2 in France; 79.5 in Spain; and 72.3 in Hungary.

BHeC acting CEO Jennifer Attride-Stirling pointed out that in Spain, health care expenditure is less than half than in Bermuda, yet on average Spain residents live two years longer.

Dr. Attride-Stirling said that in the late 1960s Bermuda had picked a health care model based on private insurance, like those in the US and Switzerland.

However, she said other systems such as the UK's are cheaper for residents because they are paid for by the state.

Disadvantages for such systems include longer waiting lists.

She said BHeC's role was to weigh the positives and negatives and discover a way to make Bermuda's health care system more financially viable in the long run.

As part of its strategic plan, BHeC aims to improve oversight across the health industry by drawing up new regulations to cover all health professionals, including social workers, counsellors, acupuncturists and other professions which are currently unregulated.