Evidence over the last decade indicates that by nearly every measure, the United States spends more money on health care than any other nation in the developed world. Economists estimate that national health care spending will grow at an average annual rate of 5.8 percent over the next decade—a full percentage point faster than overall economic growth.1
And, as our health care spending grows, it crowds out other investment and spending in areas such as deficit reduction, infrastructure, education, and other priorities. Moreover, despite the trillions of dollars we invest in health care each year, we are missing opportunities to improve the value of that investment and continue to waste limited resources at the expense of improved health outcomes.