​​National health expenditures are projected to grow an average 5.5 percent annually from 2017 to 2026, outpacing average projected growth in gross domestic product by 1 percentage point, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Office of the Actuary reported yesterday. Prescription drugs are projected to experience the fastest average annual increase over the decade (6.3 percent per year), largely due to increased spending on specialty drugs. The proportion of the population with health insurance is projected to fall f​rom 91.1 percent in 2016 to 89.3 percent in 2026, partly due to the repeal of the individual mandate. The projections do not reflect the health provisions in the recently enacted Bipartisan Budget Act.​