Why is spending on health care slowing?

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Recorded30 Apr 2026

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In 2010, the U.S. government projected that Americans would spend about $6 trillion dollars on health care, a little over 21% of GDP, in 2024. The actual amount spent was almost $1 trillion less. In fact, health care spending has been below projections almost every year since the early 2010s. In a new BPEA paper, "Has the U.S. bent the health care cost curve?" David Cutler and Lev Klarnet of Harvard University document this historic slowdown in spending, identify causes, and offer insight into whether this slowdown is a permanent adjustment to the trend. On this episode of the Brookings Podcast on Economic Activity, the authors speak with Richard Frank, director of Brookings' Center on Health Policy, about their study. Show notes and transcript The Brookings Podcast on Economic Activity is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback email to [email protected].

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