U.S. health care spending grew at a faster pacethan expected in 2011, breaking a two-year trend of smaller costincreases, according to the Health Care Cost Institute.
Costs for people with employer-sponsored insurance plans jumped4.6 percent in 2011, reaching $4,547 per person. This was wellabove the 3.8 percent growth rate observed in 2010 and beyondexpected growth for 2011, the Washington-based nonprofit groupsaid.
Additionally, consumers spent more of their own dollars onhealth care in 2011, with out-of-pocket spending growing to $735per person—a $32 increase from 2010—while costs covered byinsurance grew at nearly the same rate. Spending levels grewfastest for outpatient services, for those ages 18 and younger, andthose in the Northeast region. Spending grew the slowest forprescriptions.
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