Health care costs see slower growth, Disadvantaged lost benefits (2003)

[HuckleB]

Health care costs see slower growth, Disadvantaged lost benefits, report says

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/11/BUGQ9AO5A11.DTL&type=business

"Policies that make it harder for the poor, the elderly and the disabled to get treatment have curbed the increase in the nation's galloping health spending, a report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows.

In 2003, health spending rose 7.7 percent, down from 9.3 percent in 2002, marking the first slowdown in seven years. The nation's spending on health care was a record $1.7 trillion.

The curbing of growth in national health spending can largely be attributed to 34 states tightening eligibility and restricting benefits for Medicaid as well as the expiration of supplemental funding provisions to Medicare providers, according to the report.

Medicaid spending growth fell sharply to 7.1 percent in 2003, from 12.1 percent in 2002, its first slowdown since 1997. Despite this cut, the Bush administration is expected to consider further tightening.

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