Medicare Spending Projected To Double By 2036; Medicaid Spending To Rise By Half

Federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid is projected to increase substantially through 2036, according to estimates issued by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Medicare spending is projected to increase from $1,180 billion in 2025 to $2,421 billion in 2036 — more than doubling over the period. Medicaid spending is projected to increase from $668 billion in 2025 to $981 billion in 2036, an increase of nearly 50%.

Projected trends for other federal health spending programs are mixed. Spending on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is projected to decline from $23 billion in 2025 to $15 billion in . . .