A Look at National Health Spending

As for payments to skilled nursing facilities, they rose 4.3% in 2004, to $115 billion, with Medicaid accounting for 44% of the spending. With the federal government restricting what measures states can take to finance their share of Medicaid costs for skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid spending for this sector went up only 3% in 2004, compared to a 5.3% increase in 2003.

While 2004 spending on health care grew more slowly than in the three previous years, authors of the Health Affairs article say that new medical technology, rising prices, and growing utilization will maintain upward momentum. Payers will continue to look for efficiencies and better outcomes-on tighter budgets.

Find Out More

• www.cms.hhs.gov
• www.content.healthaffairs.org

©2006 The Triological Society