U.S. health care spending expected to hit 20 percent GDP

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2012—Updated government estimates published in the journal Health Affairs indicate that health care spending in the U.S. will engulf almost one-fifth of the economy by 2021.

Actuaries from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service estimated that health spending would rise from 17.9 percent of gross domestic product in 2010 to 19.6 percent in 2012.

Court decision on health care reform could impact HME industry

The Supreme Court’s expected decision on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 could have a big impact on the home medical equipment industry, the American Association for Homecare reported last week.

The act included significant payment cuts and policy changes that reduced HME reimbursement by about $8 billion over 10 years, AAHomecare reported.