Deloitte Study on Out-of-Pocket HC Costs

The Deloitte Center for Financial Services and the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions recently embarked on a major study examining some of the hidden costs of U.S. health care spending patterns. The Center hypothesized that consumers spend more out-of-pocket than is typically reported in the insurance industry or government reports. This hypothesis was confirmed and the Center found that the cost to consumers was $363 billion heretofore not recognized and, in many cases, these are supplemental to traditional costs for doctors, drugs, hospitals, and insurance coverage — no small matter. Some of the study's key findings include:

• 2009 U.S. total health care expenditures are $2.83 trillion, 14.7 percent ($363 billion) more than calculated by the NHEA
• 55 percent of the $363 billion in additional health care costs are the imputed costs of supervisory care
• Total discretionary costs for health care (direct and indirect) totaled $1,892 per capita in 2009

For the complete study please click on the link below:

http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Industries/Banking-Securities-Financial-Services/center-for-financial-services/87e022a77acde210VgnVCM3000001c56f00aRCRD.htm?id=us_email_fsi_032311