National Health Care Spending Grows by 4%—Slowest Growth Rate in Five Years

Total health care spending in the United States grew by 4.0% in 2009, compared to a growth rate of 4.7% in 2008 and 6% in 2007; this is the slowest growth rate for heath care spending in fifty years. However, health care spending increased as a share of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 16.2% in 2008, to 17.6% in 2009. In 2009, total health care spending reached $2.5 trillion—about $8,086 per person. A total of 71% ($1.775 billion) of health care expenditures are for both public and private health . . .