Driven By ACA, Health Spending Sees Fastest Growth Since Recession
The growth of 5.8 percent in 2015 boosted total health care spending to $3.2 trillion.
Los Angeles Times:
Health Spending Went Up Last Year Because More People Were Getting Care, Report Says
Health spending in the U.S. picked up again in 2015, but the growth was driven largely by millions of Americans getting coverage through the Affordable Care Act, rather than price increases for care, according to a new government report that tracks the nation’s overall healthcare tab. The 5.8% increase – which pushed total healthcare spending to $3.2 trillion last year – was the highest annual growth rate since before the Great Recession, which began in late 2007. And it outpaced overall economic growth in 2015, making healthcare an even larger share of the U.S. economy. (Levey, 12/2)