New Report: Healthcare Costs Have Soared Since 1996
|
December 16, 2009
| By:
Robert
| 
Comments (
1
)It's no surprise that healthcare costs have skyrocketed during the past decade or two. But a new report outlines exactly how much they have increased since 1996.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality compared average healthcare costs in 1996 to those in 2006 for adults between 18 and 44.
Here's what they found:
The average annual cost of health care increased from $2,177 to $2,703.
In 2006, 17.6% of health care expenses went toward prescription drugs, compared to just 10.2% in 1996.
The average cost to visit a physician was $180 in 2006, up from $119 a decade earlier.
The cost of prescription drugs doubled over this period, from $79 to $161.
The charge for an emergency room visit soared from $393 to $638.
The cost of a dental visit in 1996, $181, pales in comparison to the $247 Americans paid in 2006.
Share this Article:
« What Would a Health Insurance Mandate Mean for You? | Main | Insurance for Flying Cars? »
So, in conclusion the avg annual health care cost raised about 24% from 1996 to 2006.