Altarum: Health sector spending moderates, jobs reach new high

Health care spending continued to moderate in August at 5.6% growth year-over-year, according to the latest Economic Indicators from Altarum Institute's Center for Sustainable Health Spending. Prescription drug prices rose 4.7%, continuing to far outpace any other health care category. Prices for physician and clinical services were 1% lower than a year ago, while hospital prices grew at a still low 1% rate, the center said. Hospitals added 124,000 jobs in the first three-quarters of 2015, a six-fold increase over the same period last year. The health sector share of total employment reached an all-time high of 10.69% in September, the center said.