U.S. Health Care Spending Growth Slows in 2017

Total U.S. health care spending increased 3.9% to $3.5 trillion, or 3.2% to $10,739 per person in 2017, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The growth was similar to average annual growth between 2008 and 2013. Private health insurance spending went up 4.2% to $1.2 trillion, slowing from the 6.2% growth seen in 2016. Medicaid saw 2.9% growth in its total expenditures, after increasing 4.2% in 2016. According to CMS, the slower Medicaid spending growth was influenced by decelerating enrollment growth and a reduction in the Medicaid net cost of health insurance. Health insurance spending on the Children's Health Insurance Program, Department of Defense and Department of Veteran Affairs grew 5.8% to $132.6 billion, up from growth of 3.5% in 2016.

NOTE: "Other Health Insurance Programs" includes Children's Health Insurance Program (Titles XIX and XXI), Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. Dollar amounts shown are in current dollars. Percent changes are calculated from unrounded data.

SOURCE: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary, National Health Statistics Group. Visit https://go.cms.gov/1Jy5kin