Healthcare Spending Slows to Historic Low in 2008
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Posted on Jan 11, 2010, 6 a.m.
In the United States, health care spending growth slowed to 4.4% in 2008, yet national health spending reached $2.3 trillion, or $7,681 per person, with the health care portion of gross domestic product (GDP) growing to stand at 16.2% in 2008.
In 2008, U.S. health care spending growth slowed to 4.4%—the slowest rate of growth over the past forty-eight years. The National Health Expenditure Accounts Team reports that despite the slowdown, national health spending reached $2.3 trillion, or $7,681 per person, and the health care portion of gross domestic product (GDP) grew from 15.9% in 2007 to 16.2% in 2008. The team observes that: “Despite the overall slowdown in national health spending growth, increases in this spending continue to outpace growth in the resources available to pay for it.”
Micah Hartman, Anne Martin, Olivia Nuccio, Aaron Catlin, and the National Health Expenditure Accounts Team. “Health Spending Growth At A Historic Low In 2008.” Health Affairs, 29, no. 1 (2010): 147-155; doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0839.
