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Article: Health care markets. (medical care spending in Montana)
- Article from:
- Montana Business Quarterly
- Article date:
- March 22, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 University of Montana. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Health Care Costs
Increased spending on health care is determined by increased prices of health care, by growing population which leads to greater use of health care resources, and by more intense use of health care resources by current consumers. In 1996, national health care costs were over $1 trillion, accounting for 15 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.
The share of personal consumption devoted to medical care rose from 12 to 17 percent between 1980 and the mid-1990s - families absorbed 30 percent of this increase through direct out-of-pocket spending. Higher budgetary outlays by government [TABULAR DATA FOR TABLE I OMITTED] accounted for 40 percent ...