Fact Check: The U.S. has seen rising healthcare costs in recent years
What We Know
Healthcare spending in the United States has indeed been on the rise in recent years. According to the National Health Expenditures 2022 Highlights, U.S. health care spending grew by 4.1% to reach $4.5 trillion in 2022, which was an increase from the 3.2% growth in 2021. This growth was primarily driven by increased spending in Medicaid and private health insurance, despite a decline in federal supplemental funding related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2023, the trend continued with health spending increasing by 7.5% to $4.9 trillion, or $14,570 per capita, as reported by the American Medical Association. This growth rate was significantly higher than the previous year and marked the highest growth rate observed since 2003, aside from the spike during the pandemic in 2020.
Analysis
The evidence supports the claim that healthcare costs in the U.S. have been rising. The data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicates a consistent upward trend in healthcare expenditures over the past few years, particularly notable in the jump from 2022 to 2023. The increase in spending is attributed to higher utilization of healthcare services and a historically high insured share of the population, which reached 92.5% in 2023 (AMA).
Moreover, the reported growth rates are higher than the average annual growth rates seen in the 2010s, which were around 4.1% (Health System Tracker). This suggests that the recent increases are not merely part of a long-term trend but represent a significant acceleration in spending.
When evaluating the reliability of the sources, the CMS is a government agency that provides comprehensive and authoritative data on health expenditures, making it a highly credible source. The American Medical Association, a leading organization in the medical field, also provides reliable insights based on extensive research and analysis.
Conclusion
Verdict: True. The claim that the U.S. has seen rising healthcare costs in recent years is supported by credible data showing significant increases in healthcare spending in both 2022 and 2023. The growth rates in these years surpass those of the previous years, indicating a clear upward trend in healthcare costs.
