National Health Care Spending Increased 7.2 Percent In 2024 As Utilization Remained Elevated Micah Hartman, Anne B. Martin, David Lassman, Aaron Catlin

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01683?utm_campaign=february%202026%20issue&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_XSpXkK2juMXnou1bwc7TQ26HxTXTAisnJ9JNQBdDlRE8Leu9N3F-J1M_shcMEImMJUUEXYE7FBnFzKDtl6wZFld8fDQ&_hsmi=401282012&utm_content=ahead%20of%20print&utm_source=well%20read Health care spending in the US reached $5.3 trillion and increased 7.2 percent in 2024, similar to growth of 7.4 percent in 2023, as increased demand for health care influenced this two-year trend. As in 2023, the use and intensity of health care goods and services continued to grow rapidly in 2024, particularly for hospital care, physician and clinical services, and retail prescription drugs. The insured share of the population remained relatively high in 2024, at 91.8 percent, after its peak in 2023 of 92.5 percent. Health care spending growth continued to outpace overall economic growth in 2024, and as a result, the health care share of the economy increased from 17.7 percent in 2023 to 18.0 percent in 2024.