January 5, 2010

National Health Expenditure Highlights for 2008

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services tracks national health spending for health care goods and services, public health activities, program administration, the net cost of private insurance, and research and other investment related to health care. For 2008, U.S. health care spending growth decelerated, increasing 4.4% compared to 6.0% in 2007. Total health expenditures reached $2.3 trillion, which translates to $7,681 per person or 16.2% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The health spending share of GDP reached 16.2%, up from 15.9% in 2007.