It turns out there are very few truly high or low-cost areas in the U.S. when it comes to health care, since there's little relationship between Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance spending trends, according to a new study in JAMA Network Open. 

Why it matters: The lack of uniform spending across markets in the same region underscores the complexity of the U.S. health system — as well as the challenges of lowering health care costs.

The big picture: There's substantial variation between all three categories of insurance, although Medicare spending is more constant. 

Between the lines: To further complicate things, the study found that each market's spending variation is influenced by different factors. 

The bottom line: How much you pay for health care relative to other Americans depends on where you live. This study proves how much it also depends on where you get your coverage.