GROWTH IN NATIONAL HEALTH EXPENDITURES EXPECTED TO SLOW BY 2009 AS A RESULT OF RECESSION
"Growth in national health expenditures (NHE) in the United States is expected to significantly outpace economic growth in 2008 and 2009 due to the recession, according to a report issued today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The report was prepared by CMS’s Office of the Actuary and published online by the journal Health Affairs.

In 2008, growth in national health expenditures is expected to be 6.1 percent, as health spending increases from $2.2 trillion in 2007 to $2.4 trillion in 2008, while growth in the economy, as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) is anticipated to be 3.5 percent. For 2009, health spending is projected to increase 5.5 percent while GDP is expected to decrease 0.2 percent. The health share of GDP is expected to increase from 16.2 percent in 2007 to 16.6 percent in 2008 and to 17.6 percent in 2009. This represents about one-third of the total increase in the health share of GDP for 2008 through 2018."