US healthcare spending slows but continues to outpace total economic growth

Healthcare spending in the United States in 2007 slowed to its lowest rate of increase in a decade, 6.1% a year compared with 6.7% the previous year. The increase continued to outstrip growth in the overall economy, which was 4.8%.

Total healthcare spending reached $2200bn (£1500bn; €1600bn), or $7421 a person. It grew from 16.0% to 16.2% of the US gross domestic product, according to an analysis by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, published in the journal Health Affairs (2009;28:246-61, doi:10.1377/hlthaff.28.1.246).

A slow down in retail spending on prescription drugs accounted for more …