WASHINGTON—Growth in U.S. health-care spending is accelerating after reaching historic lows, a pickup largely attributed to the millions of Americans who have gotten health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. 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. That compares with the 2.9% growth in 2013, which marked the lowest rate...
Health spending in the USA has picked up, after falling to historic lows in 2013 . Spending on healthcare increased by 5.4% in 2014 , compared to just 5.4% 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, Obamacare , 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 US 's ageing population, which is covered under the Medicare scheme.