Prescription drug and healthcare expenditures increase for U.S. adults

In 2006 the average cost for a prescription drug purchase for Americans age 18 to 44 was double the inflation-adjusted average for 1996, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Over the 10 years, the average cost per prescription purchased increased from $79 to $161, in 2006 dollars. Prescription medications also accounted for a notably larger share of all health care expenses for this age group in 2006 (18 percent vs. 10 percent in 1996), even though the proportion who purchased prescription drugs dropped over the same period (from 60 to 54 percent).

For Americans age 18 to 44, the agency's analysis also found that:

* Health care expenses totaled $231 billion in 2006 or about $40 billion more than in 1996 after accounting for inflation.

* A smaller proportion incurred health care expenses in 2006 than in 1996 (77 percent vs. 80.5 percent, respectively), but the average per person expense for people who had health expenses was significantly higher in 2006 compared with 1996 ($2,703 vs. $2,177 in 2006 dollars, respectively).

* Average expenses per visit increased significantly for some types of visits (after adjusting for inflation), including those to physician offices (from $119 to $180), hospital emergency rooms ($393 to $638); and dental care providers ($181 to $247).