Record healthcare spending driven by rising prices, not increased services: study
The Hill
2/12/19
Health care spending for individuals who receive employer-sponsored insurance has reached a record high, according to a study released Tuesday.
Average annual spending for people who get their health insurance through work was $5,641 in 2017, up 4.2 percent from $5,416 the previous year, the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) found in its analysis. The average includes the amount paid by workers, their employers and insurers.
Spending on health care is increasing because of higher prices, not because people are using more services, according to the study.
The overall use of health care services declined 0.2 percent between 2013 and 2017, while spending on health care increased 16.7 percent.