National Health Care Spending Slowing, CMS Finds
According to new CMS national health spending statistics, U.S. health care spending grew 3.9% in 2010 -- the lowest rate of increase in 51 years. The relatively low rate of growth is attributed to lower utilization of health care services. Notably, retail prescription drug spending grew only 1.2%, the slowest rate of growth for prescription drug spending recorded in the national health expenditure survey. Medicare spending grew 5.0% in 2010, while Medicaid spending increased 7.2%.
