January 03, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Consumer health care spending increases faster

In 2000, consumer spending on health care increased 5.5 percent. This was about twice the rate of increase of overall consumer spending.

[Chart data—TXT]

In each of the previous four years, rises in health care spending by consumers were in the range of 2.0 to 4.0 percent. In two of those years, health care expenditures rose less than overall expenditures.

The Consumer Expenditure Survey is the source of these data. Consumer Expenditure Survey data also include the expenditures and income of consumers, as well as the demographic characteristics of those consumers. For more information, see news release USDL 01-480, Consumer Expenditures in 2000.