National Health Expenditures: Object of Expenditures and Source of Funds, 1962

FOR AY XITMRE:R OF YEARS t.he Division of Research and Statistics has published two annual series of estimates relating to expenditures for lienltli purposes. The first considers total public and private heakll expenditures‘ as part of the national expenditures for social welfare ~1~1 has appeared in recent years in the November issue of the IsT-LI,ETlN.’ The second series sllows private consumer expenditures and dntx relating to voluntnry llealth insurance and 11:~s been xppearing in the Ijecember issue.’ The basic classification of expenditures in the social welfare series is that) of statutory programs, and the data are presented on :I fiscal-year basis. The datR on private coiisumer expenditures for medical care are shown by object of expenditure (that is, by type of health service or supply) and are on a cnlendaryear basis. The present iUtiCle combines elements of both series and presents data on total national health expenditures, public and private, giving au overall ljicture of expenditures during. the calendar year 1088, by type of service ancl sources of fui~ds. For tllis purpose, expenditures under public programs and from private pliilnntliropic sources llave been allocated by object of expendit,ure. The methodology and the sources of the data are set) forth nt the cud of the article. In general, the estimates have the same degree of reliability as the separate estimates on public ;~id private expenditures previously publisl~ecl. In 196!2, it is estimated, the Nation w3 :I whole spent $31.7 billion for health care Hlld related purposes (table 1) or $170 per person. Of these expenditures, $30.4 billion--almost !)A percent-