Health Care Spending Increases 3.9% in 2010

In 2010, total health care spending in the United States reached $2.6 trillion, a 3.9% increase over 2009 spending of $2.5 trillion, according to actuaries with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The 2010 national health expenditure of $2.6 trillion includes actual health consumption expenditures of $2.4 trillion, as well as $149 trillion for investment costs for research, structures, and equipment. Spending on professional services reached $688.6 billion, an increase of 2.6% over the 2009 spending of $671.2 billion. Spending on hospital care reached $814 billion, an increase of . . .