Affordable Care Act factored in with ‘uncertainty’ as dental spending growth projected through 2021
Dental spending is projected to increase at an average annual rate of 5% through 2021, government analysts said in a June 12th 2012 report. Total health spending is projected to grow at a slightly higher 5.7 percent annually or 0.9 percentage point faster than the expected growth in the gross domestic product (GDP). The growth rate accelerates in 2014 with expanded coverage under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. However, the ACA will add just 0.1 percentage point to overall and dental spending through 2020, aging baby boomers seen as a greater contributor to spending growth.
New estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ National Health Expenditures team project an increase in expenditures for dental services from $104.8 billion in 2010 to $179.8 billion in 2021 under what the analysts said is “a ‘current law’ framework. These projections are subject to substantial uncertainty for many reasons.”
