Health Care Costs 101

The California HealthCare Foundation has published its update to its annual series of reports called Health Care Costs 101.  

The report includes a wealth of information describing health costs over a couple of generations, showing the way costs have risen, and how payment sources have changed over time.

The inexorable rise in health care costs, compared with overall inflation can be seen clearly on the 25th page of the presentation.  The graph there shows our national health expenditures in 2008 are 21 times higher than they were in 1970.  By comparison, overall CPI in 2008 is 5.5 times the level in 1970.

This graph, more than any other, points out the reason it was so important to pass health reform, so that the growth rate of health care costs can begin to be slowed.

If you are looking for detailed information on health care costs, clearly illustrated with helpful graphics, Health Care Costs 101, is must reading.