Spending & Enrollment Growth Slow After Initial National Health Care Coverage Expansions

During 2016, the total National Health Expenditure (NHE), which encompasses health care spending and investment, in the United States totaled $3.3 trillion, about 4.3% higher than the $3.2 trillion spent in 2015. NHE spending growth increased by 5.1% in 2014, reaching $3.0 trillion; and by 5.8% in 2015, reaching $3.2 trillion. Health consumption expenditures for health insurance costs and out-of-pocket costs paid by consumers followed a similar spending trend. In 2016, health consumption expenditures totaled nearly $3.18 trillion, which was about 4.4% higher than the nearly $3.05 trillion . . .