September 2015 Health Sector Economic Indicators Briefs

The health sector added 40,500 new jobs in August and totaled 314,000 jobs through the first 8 months of 2015, nearly twice the number added during the first 8 months of 2014. Health jobs are growing at 3.1% year over year, the highest rate since 2002. National health spending in July 2015 was 5.6% higher than health spending in July 2014, down from the 8-year high growth rate of 6.8% first estimated in December 2014. Health care prices in July 2015 were 1.1% higher than in July 2014, for the 4th consecutive month, and only a 10th above the decade-plus low of 1.0% growth registered in August 2013.