WASHINGTON -- Just 1% of the U.S. population accounted for 22% of all healthcare spending in 2009 -- but that's actually better than it once was, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

That figure was up slightly from the previous year's 20%, but is still smaller than it was in 1996, when the top 1% of healthcare spenders accounted for 28% of total healthcare expenditures, AHRQ reported in a data brief.

Average per capita spending for each person in that top 1% group was more than $90,000.

One thing that hasn't changed since 1996 -- the top-spending 5% accounted for more than half of the nation's medical spending.

But if a small percentage of the population accounts for a disproportionately large share of total medical spending, a large percentage spent a disproportionately small amount: The 50% of the population that spent the least on healthcare in 2009 accounted for less than 3% of healthcare spending that year.

Those in the bottom half of healthcare spenders were more likely to report having "excellent" health, while those in the top half of health spenders were more likely to report having "fair" or "poor" health.

Those in the top-spending 10% were more likely to be 45 and older. In fact, although the elderly (65 and older) account for only 13% of the overall population, they represent 43% of individuals in the top 10% of healthcare spending.

Top-spenders also were more likely to be white and female.

The data come from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2008 and 2009, which provides detailed estimates on healthcare expenditures over time, including payments from individuals, private health insurers, and Medicare and Medicaid, made to all healthcare providers and pharmacies.

Overall, spending on healthcare in the U.S. was $1.26 trillion in 2009, the report noted.