Role of private sector in financing social welfare programs, 1972-92.

The private sector continues to play social welfare expenditures series.’ Viewed as a share of gross domestic an increasingly important role in financPrivate outlays include a large share product (GDP) as shown in table 1, ing the Nation’s aggregate social welfare of health and medical care expenditures, private sector support of social welfare programs. This note provides estimates as well as income-maintenance benehas gradually but substantially inof private spending for social welfare fits, the latter in areas of employmentcreased from 8.0 percent in 1972 to 13.7 programs in the United States, from related pensions, group life insurance, percent in 1992. In calendar year 1992, 1972-92, and complements the public and group sickness payments. The pritotal expenditures were $824.9 billion vate sector is also an important source compared with $767.6 billion in the *Wilmer L. Kerns, Oflice of Research and Statistics, Division of Program Analysis, Social of financing for education and social previous year (an increase of 7.5