December 2017 Health Sector Economic Indicators Briefs

New data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) show slower health sector growth in 2016. This, combined with other slow-growth trends in 2017, suggest overall national health spending is stabilizing. Indicators of stability include health spending as a share of GDP. Since first hitting 18% in February 2016, this ratio has not fallen below 17.9% nor risen above 18.1%. Another key trend of 2017 is the slowdown in hospital spending and hiring. Additionally, official data released last week by CMS put national health spending growth in 2016 at 4.3%, slightly lower than Altarum’s previous estimate of 4.6%.

New data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) show slower health sector growth in 2016. This, combined with other slow-growth trends in 2017, suggest overall national health spending is stabilizing. Indicators of stability include health spending as a share of GDP. Since first hitting 18% in February 2016, this ratio has not fallen below 17.9% nor risen above 18.1%. Another key trend of 2017 is the slowdown in hospital spending and hiring. Additionally, official data released last week by CMS put national health spending growth in 2016 at 4.3%, slightly lower than Altarum’s previous estimate of 4.6%.