This morning’s release of construction spending from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates spending on health facilities actually shrank a little in May, a significant downturn from the previous release (see Table I, below the fold). Total construction spending amounted to about $1 trillion, of which $39 billion was health care. Health construction spending shrank 0.6 percent from April and grew only 3.1 percent year on year. Total construction spending, less health, grew 0.9 percent on the month, and 8.4 percent year on year.
We look at this because other economic data indicate that health spending is consuming more of our prosperity. Low, even shrinking, spending on construction of health facilities may represent the consolidation of hospitals that many fear will lead to increasing prices.
Read the entire entry at NCPA's Health Policy Blog.
Research and commentary from a former senior executive in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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