WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal report estimates that government at all levels will be paying nearly half the nation's health care tab in less than 10 years.
Driving the increase is traditional Medicare, which is experiencing an enrollment surge as aging baby boomers shift out of private coverage.
The report from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services projects that U.S. health care spending will surpass $5.9 trillion in 2027.
Federal, state and local governments will be paying 47 percent of the nation's health care costs in 2027, up from 45 percent currently. The federal share is 31 percent.
Some 2020 Democratic presidential contenders are calling for a government-funded "Medicare-for-all" system.
President Donald Trump warns that would be "socialism," but the government already plays a central role in financing health care.
