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The Rising Costs of Health Care

A Decade of Health Care Cost Growth: Impact on the American Family

image of stethoscope, dollars, and prescription

How do soaring health care costs affect the finances of the average American family? A new RAND Health study shows that the doubling of health costs between 1999 and 2009 largely wiped out an average family's real income gains. In fact, in 2009 the family had a net gain of only $95 per month. If health care costs had tracked general inflation over the decade, the family would have had nearly $5,400 more in 2009.

Rising Costs of Health Care — May 24, 2011

On May 24, 2011, the RAND Corporation presented “Rising Costs of Health Care” as part of its Issues in Focus public outreach series in Santa Monica, California. The program featured Arthur Kellermann, vice president and director of RAND Health.

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Consumers May Have More Control Over Health Care Costs Than Previously Thought

The historic RAND Health Insurance Experiment found that patients had little or no control over their health care spending once they began to receive a physician's care, but this has changed for those enrolled in consumer-directed health plans.

Consolidation of Health Plans May Help Lower Hospital Costs

Increased consolidation among health plans nationally may benefit consumers by lowering hospital prices, at least in those regions where health plans are the most consolidated.

The Health Insurance Experiment

RAND's pioneering Health Insurance Experiment shaped current understanding of how cost sharing affects health care use and health outcomes.

Focusing on Health Economics Research

Improving health and the efficiency of health care service delivery are among today's most vexing public policy problems. With the help of a generous donation from former RAND trustee Peter Bing, RAND created the Bing Center for Health Economics to address these issues with innovative, high-profile research.

How the Affordable Care Act Will Affect Coverage and Costs in Five States

Researchers used the RAND COMPARE simulation model to assess the effects of the ACA on coverage and state health care spending in five states. The percentage of residents with coverage is expected to rise significantly in each state, while spending will increase in four out of five.

Evaluating the Economics of Complementary and Integrative Medicine — 2013

Patricia M. Herman

If CIM is to be considered in broader healthcare strategies, its economic impact must be determined.

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Evaluation of Centers of Excellence Program for Knee and Hip Replacement — 2013

The costs of knee and hip replacement in designated centers of excellence do not differ from costs in other hospitals. But hip replacements performed in such centers had lower complication rates. Complication rates for knee replacement did not differ.

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The Association Between Health Care Quality and Cost: A Systematic Review — 2013

A systematic review found that evidence is mixed and inconsistent regarding both the direction and magnitude of the association between health care costs and quality.

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What It Will Take to Achieve the As-Yet-Unfulfilled Promises of Health Information Technology — 2013

HIT's disappointing performance primarily stems from sluggish adoption of health IT systems, systems that are not interoperable or easy to use, and failure of providers and institutions to do their part by reengineering care processes.

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U.S. Spending on Complementary and Alternative Medicine During 2002-08 Plateaued, Suggesting Role in Reformed Health System — 2013

Use of and spending on complementary and alternative medicine have flattened out. Including providers of these services in new delivery systems such as accountable care organizations could help slow growth in national health care spending.