HCP’s Micheal E. Chernew, PhD, and colleagues Richard A. Hirth and David M. Cutler published the article “Increased Spending on Health Care: Long-Term Implications for the Nation” in the September/October issue of Health Affairs. This article is an update of a paper the authors published in 2003 that described the repercussions of continued expansion of health care spending on the use of nonhealth goods and services. Their research argues that “reforms that would dramatically slow the rate of health care spending growth are necessary, especially if the nation hopes to maintain a reasonable amount of consumption of nonhealth goods and services”; that is, if health care spending continues to increase significantly, the nation runs the risk of eliminating other important public services. This study illustrates the burden that health care spending will have on the economy if spending growth continues to exceed GDP growth. Since this issue affects all Americans, this study has received a great deal of public attention and was featured in the New York Times. 

In addition, Chernew’s views on health care in response to Senator Max Baucus’ health plan are posted on the New York Times blog.