The Year In Healthcare Charts

There were a few charts that made the radar this year. In some cases, the data is older than 2012, but all too often, the data hasn’t really changed or improved with age.

First up is our National Healthcare Expenditure (NHE). According to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, this number has been historically underreported – by a significant amount. In their report (The Hidden Costs of U.S. Health Care), they cite two important components that have not been included in tradtional calculations. The first is out-of-pocket spending by consumers on professional services and the second is the “imputed value of supervisory care provided to a friend or family member.” Using a conservative annual growth rate of 4% (from Deloitte’s baseline year of 2010), here’s what Deloitte suggests is our real NHE.

Next up is the 2012 Milliman Medical Index – which eclisped $20,000 for the first time this year. According to the index, every U.S. family of 4 is paying the dollar equivalent of a new Chevy Cruze in healthcare costs. Every year. Without financing.