June 2016 Health Sector Economic Indicators Briefs

National health spending in April 2016 was 4.6% higher than in April 2015. This marked the sixth consecutive month of spending growth below 5%, and is well under the estimated average of 5.8% for all of 2015. Health care added 45,700 new jobs in May, even more than the robust 12-month average of 40,600 new jobs per month. Health jobs grew 3.2% year-over-year while nonhealth jobs grew 1.5%, increasing the health share of total employment to a new all-time high of 10.77%. Health care prices in April 2016 were 1.5% higher than in April 2015, unchanged from the March 2016 rate. Drug price growth rose to 4.0% from 3.6% in March, making it easily the fastest growing price component. (emphasis added)