Spending on health care for children grew faster than spending for adults between 2007 and 2010 due to increasing prices for all categories of goods and services, finds a new report from the Health Care Cost Institute.

This rise in spending occurred despite a decline in number of commercially insured children and a drop in the use of costly health care services, such as hospital stays and brand-name drugs, according to "Children's Health Care Spending Report: 2007-2010." This is the first analysis to track changes in spending, prices, and use of health care services by children covered by private employer-sponsored health insurance.

"Children tend to use less expensive health care, so a bump in children's health care spending is troubling because it could indicate that kids are getting sicker or receiving unnecessary tests or excess procedures," says HCCI chair Martin Gaynor.

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