Home Health & Hospice Week

Don’t be surprised to see Medicare officials trying to tighten budget belts even further.

In its new annual report, the Medicare Board of Trustees estimates that total Medicare costs will grow from about 3.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2018 to 5.9 percent of GDP by 2038, and then to about 6.5 percent of GDP by 2093. “The faster rate of growth in Medicare spending as compared to growth in GDP is attributable to faster Medicare population growth and increases in the volume and intensity of healthcare services,” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says in a release about the report.

The Trustees also found that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be able to pay full benefits until 2026, the same as last year’s report, CMS says.