Health care spending In 1994: Slowest in decades

Health Affairs

Volumn 15, Issue 2, 1996, Pages

  Levit, Katharine R ^a   Lazenby, Helen C ^a   Sivarajan, Lekha ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; COST CONTROL; ECONOMICS; HEALTH CARE COST; HEALTH INSURANCE; INFORMATION PROCESSING; MEDICAID; MEDICARE; REIMBURSEMENT; STATISTICS; UNITED STATES;

COST CONTROL; DATA COLLECTION; HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS, EMPLOYEE; HEALTH EXPENDITURES; INSURANCE, HEALTH, REIMBURSEMENT; MEDICAID; MEDICARE; UNITED STATES;

EID: 1542639600     PISSN: 02782715     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.15.2.130     Document Type: Article

References (23)

1. National health expenditures are produced annually in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). For definitions, sources, and methods, see H.C. Lazenby et al., "National Health Accounts: Lessons from the U.S. Experience," Health Care Financing Review (Summer 1992): 89-104- For information on recent revisions, see K.R. Levit et al., "National Health Expenditures, 1994," Health Care Financing Review (forthcoming).
2. National health expenditures are produced annually in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). For definitions, sources, and methods, see H.C. Lazenby et al., "National Health Accounts: Lessons from the U.S. Experience," Health Care Financing Review (Summer 1992): 89-104- For information on recent revisions, see K.R. Levit et al., "National Health Expenditures, 1994," Health Care Financing Review (forthcoming).
3. Benchmark revisions to estimates of GDP were introduced in January 1996 and have been included here. For further information, see U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Gross Domestic Product: Third Quarter 1995 (Preliminary); Corporate Profits: Third Quarter 1995 (Preliminary); and Revised Estimates, 1993-95 (Press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce, 19 January 1996). The substantial upward revision to GDP is the major reason that NHE as a share of GDP fell from the 13.9 percent reported last year for 1993 to 13.6 percent recorded in this set of estimates for the same year.
4. For more information on the new GDP chain-type annual-weighted price index used to measure economywide inflation, see J.S. Landefeld and R.P. Parker, "Preview of the Comprehensive Revision of the National Income and Product Accounts: BEA's New Featured Measures of Output and Prices," Survey of Current Business (July 1995): 31-38.
5. H.J. Aaron, "Thinking Straight about Medical Costs," Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 8-13; H.A. Huskamp and J.P. Newhouse, "Is Health Spending Slowing Down?" Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 32-38; and K.R. Levit, "Delving into Health Expenditure Trends: Two Approaches," Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 44-45.
6. H.J. Aaron, "Thinking Straight about Medical Costs," Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 8-13; H.A. Huskamp and J.P. Newhouse, "Is Health Spending Slowing Down?" Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 32-38; and K.R. Levit, "Delving into Health Expenditure Trends: Two Approaches," Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 44-45.
7. H.J. Aaron, "Thinking Straight about Medical Costs," Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 8-13; H.A. Huskamp and J.P. Newhouse, "Is Health Spending Slowing Down?" Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 32-38; and K.R. Levit, "Delving into Health Expenditure Trends: Two Approaches," Health Affairs (Winter 1994): 44-45.
8. Aaron, "Thinking Straight about Medical Costs."
9. See analysis in M. Moon and S. Zuckerman, "Are Private Insurers Really Controlling Spending Better than Medicare?" (Washington: The Urban Institute, July 1995).
10. Estimated by HCFA Office of the Actuary, using administrative records.
11. Net enrollment counts each person who participates in one or more employer-sponsored or individual private health insurance plan. Estimates were developed using data collected in the National Health Interview Survey, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Current Population Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
12. KPMG Peat Marwick, Health Benefits in 1994 (also 1992 and 1993 editions) (Newark, N.J.: KPMG Peat Marwick, 1992-1994).
13. L.F. Wolf, ed., "Total Cost-Sharing Liability of Medicare Beneficiaries by Type of Coverage," Health Care Financing Review Statistical Supplement (1995): 43, 190.
14. This category includes services provided by licensed medical professionals such as chiropractors, psychologists, optometrists, podiatrists, and private duty nurses; by kidney dialysis centers and freestanding specialty outpatient clinics such as substance abuse, rehabilitation, and mental health clinics; by ambulances paid under Medicare; and by miscellaneous health and allied services not elsewhere classified.
15. Home health agencies also operate out of hospitals and other medical facilities. In these cases, expenditures for those services are included in the NHE category of the sponsoring establishment.
16. J. Genuardi, J. Stiller, and G. Trapnell, "The Changing Prescription Drug Sector: New Expenditure Methodologies," Health Care Financing Review (forthcoming).
17. Foster Higgins, National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 1994: Report (New York: Foster Higgins Survey and Research Services, 1994); and KPMG Peat Marwick, Health Benefits in 1994.
18. Foster Higgins, National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 1994: Report (New York: Foster Higgins Survey and Research Services, 1994); and KPMG Peat Marwick, Health Benefits in 1994.
19. Foster Higgins reported 1994 premium increases of 2.1 percent in preferred provider organization (PPO) plans and 10.5 percent in point-of-service plans, while KPMG Peat Marwick reported premium increases of 3.2 percent in PPO plans and 5.9 percent in point-of-service plans.
20. A.L. Sensenig, S.K. Heffler, and C.S. Donham, "Hospital, Employment, and Price Indicators for the Health Care Industry: Third Quarter, 1995," Health Care Financing Review (forthcoming); Foster Higgins, National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 1995: Report (New York: Foster Higgins Survey and Research Services, 1996); and KPMG Peat Marwick, Health Benefits in 1995 (Newark, N.J.: KPMG Peat Marwick, 1995).
21. A.L. Sensenig, S.K. Heffler, and C.S. Donham, "Hospital, Employment, and Price Indicators for the Health Care Industry: Third Quarter, 1995," Health Care Financing Review (forthcoming); Foster Higgins, National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 1995: Report (New York: Foster Higgins Survey and Research Services, 1996); and KPMG Peat Marwick, Health Benefits in 1995 (Newark, N.J.: KPMG Peat Marwick, 1995).
22. A.L. Sensenig, S.K. Heffler, and C.S. Donham, "Hospital, Employment, and Price Indicators for the Health Care Industry: Third Quarter, 1995," Health Care Financing Review (forthcoming); Foster Higgins, National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 1995: Report (New York: Foster Higgins Survey and Research Services, 1996); and KPMG Peat Marwick, Health Benefits in 1995 (Newark, N.J.: KPMG Peat Marwick, 1995).
23. D. Segal, "Premium Wars Cost Some HMOs on the Bottom Line," The Washington Post, 9 April 1996, C1, C5.