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 from 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.