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A Summary of the Health Care Cost Institute's 2020 Annual Cost and Utilization Report (PDF)

"Overall allowed medical costs increased from 2017 to 201 8 by 4.4% in this study population. This trend is slightly higher than that observed in 2017, but very close to the 4-year average of 4.3% from 2014-2018 for the populations measured.... [F]rom 2013-2017 utilization trends showed an overall decline of 0.2%. However, in 2018, utilization trends were on the rise again with a 1.8% year over year increase. Average prices similarly grew by 2.6%, which was one of the lowest increases in recent years."

Inaugural Health Care Cost and Utilization Report Summarizes National Trends in Health Care Utilization and Cost

"Key findings from this report: Per capita health spending among people under 65 is growing moderately, up 3.3 percent from the previous year but still nearly three times the rate of general inflation. Higher spending was mostly due to price increases, rather than changes in the use of health care services: Prices for hospital admissions, outpatient care and prescription drugs all grew at a much faster rate than general inflation in 2010. Health care spending grew fastest among those who are 18 and younger."

2014 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report

"Health care spending averaged $4,967 per individual in 2014, up $163 from the year before. Spending on brand prescriptions jumped by $45 per capita in 2014, despite a nearly 16 percent decrease in use. Hepatitis C antiviral drugs (Harvoni, Olysio, and Sovaldi) accounted for $29.40 of the $45 increase. Use of health care services continued to fall in 2014, while prices for all categories of services rose. Consumers spent an average of $810 per person out of pocket -- a 2.2 percent increase over 2013. Every year between 2010 and 2014, out-of-pocket spending by women was higher than that by men."

2011 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report

"Key Findings from this Report: Regional spending gap widening; Spending on children's health care rising fastest; Cost sharing between patients and payers remains stable; Use of health care services up, particularly outpatient care; Rising prices were the primary driver of spending growth; Prescription spending slowed, growing just 1% from 2010 to 2011."

2018 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report (PDF)

29 pages. "Between 2014 and 2018, per-person spending grew at an average annual rate of 4.3%, climbing to $5,892.... That rise outpaced growth in per-capita GDP, which increased at an average rate of 3.4% over the same period.... Data from Massachusetts shows that for those with commercial insurance the percentage of gross pharmacy spending accounted for by rebates grew from 6.5% in 2014 to 15.6% in 2018. Applying these figures to our data, we find that spending per person declined from an average annual rate of 4.3% to an average annual rate of 3.8% between 2014 and 2018."

2017 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report for Americans Covered by Employer-Sponsored Insurance (PDF)

23 pages. "In 2017, per-person spending reached $5,641, a new all-time high for this population.... Average prices increased 3.6% in 2017. Year-over-year price growth decelerated throughout the five-year period, rising 4.8% between 2013 and 2014 and slowing to 3.6% in 2016 and 2017.... The overall use of health care services changed very little over the 2013 to 2017 period, declining 0.2%.... Out-of-pocket spending per-person increased 2.6% in 2017." [Also available: data download in .CSV file format, and HCCI's updated analytic methodology.]

2016 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report

"Total spending per person is now growing at faster rates than prior years, with 4.6% growth in 2016 compared to 4.1% growth in 2015 ... Spending growth in each year from 2012 to 2016 was almost entirely due to price increases.... Utilization of most health care services remained unchanged or declined, both year-over-year and over the 2012-2016 period. Consumer out-of-pocket (OOP) spending per person increased, but grew more slowly than total spending."

2012 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report

"After three years of slowing growth, spending per person on prescription drugs and devices reversed course, growing 3.8 percent in 2012, due mainly to increased use and rising prices for generic drugs. Inpatient spending grew slower (2.4%) than any other medical service category in 2012, while spending on outpatient services grew at the fastest rate (6.5%). As in past years, price increases rather than use of services remained the primary cause of spending growth for outpatient and inpatient facility claims. Prices rose 5.4 percent for inpatient services, and 5.6 percent for outpatient services."

Most Workers Continue to Give Low Ratings to Health Care System, But Declining Number Report Increases in Their Out-of-Pocket Health Care Cost (PDF)

10 pages. "In contrast to the ratings for the health care system overall, workers' ratings of their own health plans continue to be generally favorable. One-half of those with health insurance coverage are extremely or very satisfied. Only 9 percent are not satisfied with their current health plan. One-half of workers with health insurance coverage report having experienced an increase in health care costs in the past year, an historical low in the survey. The percentage reporting that they did not experience a change in health care costs increased from 36 percent to 47 percent between 2014 and 2015."

Increased Health Care Cost Sharing Works As Intended: It Burdens Patients Who Need Care the Most!

"The health care market is unlike other markets; thus, forcing increased cost sharing on American households is a deeply inefficient strategy for trying to contain health care costs. Forcing Americans to pay a higher share of health costs will not induce them to shop around and compare prices when they are experiencing chest pains or their child is suffering from an asthma attack."