National Health Care Spending at $2.6 Trillion in 2010; CMS Actuaries Project 77% Increase by 2020

National health care spending is projected to have reached $2.6 trillion in 2010, and actuaries with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) project that spending will reach $4.6 trillion by 2020, representing a 77% increase. Medicare spending for 2010 is estimated to have reached $525 billion, about 20.3% of the total $2.6 trillion. Medicaid spending is estimated to have accounted for $400.7 billion, or 15.5% of the total. Private health insurance spending is estimated to have reached $822.3 billion, about 31.8% of the total. Health care spending by other third . . .