PwC: Slowdown in health care costs may be turning into a trend

Bloomberg: Health Cost Growth Slows Further Even As Economy Rebounds
Provisions in the Affordable Care Act that penalize hospitals for excessive readmissions and encourage employers to offer wellness programs are slowing the growth of U.S. medical costs, even as the economy rebounds. Health-care costs for commercial insurers and employers are expected to rise about 4.5 percent next year after accounting for changes in benefits, ... The report supports President Barack Obama's contentions that the 2010 law has contributed to historically slow cost growth. "It's picking up speed and force," said Ceci Connolly, managing director of PwC's Health Research Institute (Wayne, 6/18).

Meanwhile, another study examines the future of Medicare savings --

Politico Pro: Study: More Medicare Savings Coming
Medicare savings could be $1.1 trillion more than the Medicare trustees estimated over the next 10 years if current trends continue, according to a study backed by the Federation of American Hospitals. The study, due to be released on Tuesday, also finds that the recent decline in health care spending growth is because of structural changes in health care more than economic factors (Haberkorn, 6/17).