Center for Studying Health System Change

Providing Insights that Contribute to Better Health Policy

Search:     
 

Insurance Coverage & Costs Access to Care Quality & Care Delivery Health Care Markets Employers/Consumers Health Plans Hospitals Physicians Issue Briefs Data Bulletins Research Briefs Policy Analyses Community Reports Journal Articles Other Publications Surveys Site Visits Design and Methods Data Files


Tracking Health Care Costs: Continued Stability But at High Rates in 2005

Oct. 3, 2006
Health Affairs, Web exclusive
Paul B. Ginsburg, Bradley C. Strunk, Michelle I. Banker, John P. Cookson

Health care spending per privately insured person increased 7.4 percent in 2005, marking the third year that the cost trend hovered between 7 and 8 percent following double-digit trends in 2001 and 2002. Data for the first quarter of 2006 suggest continued stability. The trend for 2005 reflected increased growth in spending for hospital and physician care, offsetting a sharp drop in spending growth for prescription drugs. Hospital utilization trends accelerated, while price trends decelerated in 2005. In contrast to stable spending trends in 2005, premium trends continued to decline in 2006, likely reflecting the lagged effects of earlier years’ slowing in cost trends and perhaps signaling a turn in the insurance underwriting cycle.

This article is available at the Health Affairs Web site by clicking here. (Free access.)


 

Back to Top
 
Site Last Updated: 9/15/2014             Privacy Policy
The Center for Studying Health System Change Ceased operation on Dec. 31, 2013.