National health expenditures, 1988. Office of National Cost Estimates

Abstract

Every year, analysts in the Health Care Financing Administration present figures on what our Nation spends for health. As the result of a comprehensive re-examination of the definitions, concepts, methods, and data sources used to prepare those figures, this year's report contains new estimates of national health expenditures for calendar years 1960 through 1988. Significant changes have been made to estimates of spending for professional services and to estimates of what consumers pay out of pocket for health care. In the first article, trends in use of and expenditure for various types of goods and services are discussed, as well as trends in the sources of funds used to finance health care. In a companion article, the benchmark process is described in more detail, as are the data sources and methods used to prepare annual estimates of health expenditures.

Figure 1. Percent growth in national health expenditures and gross national product, and national health expenditures as a percent of gross national product: Calendar years 1961-88

Figure 2. The Nation's health dollar: 1960 and 1988

Figure 3. Annual percent growth in real personal health care expenditures: Calendar years 1966-88

Figure 4. Factors accounting for average annual growth in personal health care expenditures: Selected calendar years 1965-88

Figure 5. Government health expenditures as a percent of total government expenditures: Calendar years 1960-88

Figure 6. Percent distribution of Medicaid recipients and payments, by basis of eligibility: Fiscal year 1988