That has changed in recent years. Now greater than in France in absolute spend per capita, would need a 7.5% increase to match in terms of GDP. It would still require a 15% increase to match Germany in absolute per capita, but only 8.5% in percentage of GDP.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD?locat...
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS?end=2...