Medical prices have grown far faster than nonmedical prices in the United States over the past 30 years. Moreover, total expenditures have risen much faster than medical prices because of increases in the quantity and quality of medical services provided over time.
Federal and local government pays about half of total expenditures. U.S. expenditures for medical care as a proportion of national income far exceed those in all other countries. How can the United States create cost-effective care to manage this crisis?