The study estimated total U.S. healthcare expenditures at $2.83 trillion — a 26 percent increase from $2.25 trillion in 2005.
Of the $363 billion, $199 billion (55 percent) was attributed to the value of unpaid supervisory care given to patients by family or friends. Additional costs identified were from areas not conventionally reported in the National Health Expenditure Accounts, such as nutritional products/functional foods/supplements (14 percent of all expenditure in additional areas), complimentary and alternative medicine practitioners (8 percent) and mental health/substance abuse facilities (8 percent).
Professional care, such as physician and clinical services, was the largest type of health expenditure, accounting for 29 percent of total expenditures. Hospital care accounted for 20 percent, administration expenses were at 14 percent and prescription drugs accounted for 9 percent of total expenditures.
The study estimated that total discretionary costs for healthcare (direct and indirect) totaled $1,892 per capita in 2009. This consisted of $904.25 on NHEA items and
$987.73 on items additional to the NHEA.
Read the Deloitte report, “The hidden costs of U.S. healthcare for consumers: A comprehensive analysis.”
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