Treatable Mortality Rate Improvement Across EU Countries

Key Takeaways

• Every EU country reduced its treatable mortality rate between 2011 and 2023. The EU-wide average fell from 103 to 87 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
• Lithuania recorded the largest absolute cut in the EU. It reduced its rate by 58 points. Latvia and Estonia followed, cutting by 47 and 45 points respectively. All three still rank in the bottom six in 2023.
• EU Structural Funds drove much of the improvement in the Baltic states. Lithuania received over €400 million for its health sector in the 2007–2013 funding period alone.
• Bulgaria cut its rate by just 9.8 points over 12 years. That is a 5% improvement. Every other EU country improved by at least 10%. Bulgaria ranked 3rd from the bottom in 2011 and still ranks the same in 2023.
• Out-of-pocket healthcare costs in Bulgaria reach 37.8% of total spending. That is the highest share in the EU. High patient costs reduce access to early treatment.
• Slovenia crossed from above to below the EU average between 2011 and 2023. It cut its rate by 34 points (33%) and now ranks 10th in the EU. It holds first place in Europe for cancer screening coverage.

Treatable Mortality Rate Change Across EU Countries

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Treatable mortality counts deaths from conditions that should not be fatal with proper medical care. This includes heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer, and pneumonia. The lower the treatable mortality rate is, the better a country’s performance is.

Every EU country cut its treatable mortality rate between 2011 and 2023. The EU-wide average fell from 103 to 87 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, a 16% reduction over 12 years. But the pace varied sharply. The countries that cut the most are not the ones you might expect. Neither are the ones that barely moved.

Eastern EU Countries Made the Largest Absolute Cuts on Treatable Mortality

The four countries that cut the most in absolute terms all came from Eastern Europe:

• Lithuania: 221.45 → 163.31 (down 58 points, 26%)
• Latvia: 236.17 → 189.45 (down 47 points, 20%)
• Estonia: 160.97 → 115.79 (down 45 points, 28%)
• Czechia: 147.74 → 107.19 (down 41 points, 27%)

These cuts reflect real investment in healthcare systems. Lithuania received over €400 million in EU Structural Funds for its health sector during the 2007–2013 period alone. Estonia reformed its primary care system with financial incentives for general practitioners. All three Baltic states moved away from a Soviet-era model that concentrated care in hospitals. They redirected resources toward community-based and preventive services.

The improvements are substantial. But the starting points were so high that none of these countries has closed the gap with the EU average. The EU average stands at 87 per 100,000 in 2023. Lithuania sits at 163. Estonia at 116. At the pace recorded between 2011 and 2023, these countries would need several more decades to reach the levels France and Luxembourg hold today.

Bulgaria Improved Less On Treatable Mortality Than Any Other EU Country

Bulgaria cut its treatable mortality rate by 9.8 points between 2011 and 2023. That is a 5% reduction. Every other EU country improved by at least 10%. Bulgaria ranked 3rd worst in 2011. It still ranks 3rd worst in 2023.

Three structural factors explain the near-stagnation:

• Out-of-pocket spending reaches 37.8% of total healthcare costs in Bulgaria, the highest share in the EU. Patients who cannot afford care delay or avoid treatment entirely.
• Per capita healthcare spending remains among the lowest in the EU, limiting the capacity to hire staff, upgrade equipment, and expand coverage.
• Income and location-based disparities in healthcare access run deeper in Bulgaria than in most EU countries. Rural and lower-income populations carry a disproportionate share of avoidable deaths.

EU Countries Already Performing Well Kept Cutting Their Treatable Mortality Rates

There was a great improvement in treatable mortality in EU countries with the most room to grow. Several countries that already sat below the EU average in 2011 continued cutting at pace:

• Luxembourg: 83.01 → 51.71 (down 31 points, 38%)
• Slovenia: 100.58 → 66.98 (down 34 points, 33%)
• Ireland: 93.99 → 67.62 (down 26 points, 28%)
• Belgium: 82.31 → 58.83 (down 23 points, 28%)

Slovenia is the standout case. It sat above the EU average in 2011 at 100.6. It now sits at 67.0. Slovenia ranks first in the EU for cancer screening coverage. Its health insurance system covers nearly the entire population. Out-of-pocket spending stands at 13%. The EU average is 14.5%. Earlier detection means fewer people die from conditions that respond to treatment.

France improved by 8.9 points (13%), the smallest absolute cut among well-performing countries. France started as the EU’s best performer in 2011 at 67.6 and remains in the top four in 2023 at 58.8. Countries near the floor have less room to cut. The modest absolute improvement reflects proximity to the limit, not stagnation.

The overall EU trajectory is positive. Every member state improved. But the data points to one structural reality: the countries that started furthest from the EU average made the biggest jumps and still have the furthest to go. Bulgaria is the exception. It moved the least of all and has not changed its position in the table in 12 years.