Health Care Spending Statistics
CMS has released detailed health care spending statistics for 2006. Health care spending growth in the United States increased 6.7 percent in 2006, reaching a total of $2.1 trillion, or $7,026 per person, and equaling 15 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Medicare spending grew 18.7 percent in 2006, compared to 9.3 percent in 2005, fueled in part by the Medicare Part D drug benefit. Total Medicaid spending declined for the first time ever, falling 0.9 percent, which is attributable to the shift of drug coverage for dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare Part D, state cost-containment efforts, and slower enrollment growth. For details, click here.
