"Two macroeconomic variables were found to be highly predictive of the growth in health spending in any given year: Inflation in the current year, as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflator, as well as inflation in the prior two years. The growth in real GDP in the current year, as well as GDP growth in the prior five years. These variables explain over 85% of the variation in health spending growth rates from 1965 through 2011."  MORE >>