Health spending in the US has picked up , after falling to historic lows in 2013 . Spending on healthcare increased by 5.4 % in 2014 , compared to just 2.9 % growth the previous , the lowest on record . Spending on all health care increased 5.3% in 2014, according to a report Wednesday from actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Economists said the increase was not a surprise , but opponents of the Affordable Care Act , or Obamacare , seized the opportunity to accuse the White House of not doing enough to rein in health costs . Commenting on the figures , Richard Frank , assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services said “ Under the Affordable Care Act , millions more Americans have quality , affordable health coverage , and cost growth has remained low . ” The increase was caused mainly by two factors : an increase in prescription drug costs , thanks in part to new treatments for hepatitis C , and the country 's ageing population , which is covered under the Medicare scheme .
Health spending in the US has picked up , after falling to historic lows in 2013 . Spending on healthcare increased by 5.4 % in 2014 , compared to just 2.9 % growth the previous , the lowest on record . Economists said the increase was not a surprise , but opponents of the Affordable Care Act , or Obamacare , seized the opportunity to accuse the White House of not doing enough to rein in health costs . Commenting on the figures , Richard Frank , assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services said “ Under the Affordable Care Act , millions more Americans have quality , affordable health coverage , and cost growth has remained low . ” The increase was caused mainly by two factors : an increase in prescription drug costs , thanks in part to new treatments for hepatitis C , and the country 's ageing population , which is covered under the Medicare scheme .