Brakes on health spending go beyond the recession: studies

By Sharon Begley NEW YORK (Reuters) - Slower growth in the pace of healthcare spending reflects a fundamental change in the use of medical services that could save the country nearly $800 billion in the next decade, according to two new studies released on Monday. The research, published in the journal Health Affairs, disputes the claim that a slowdown in the rise of spending in the last few years was mostly due to a weak economy and high jobless rate that forced many Americans to cut back on trips to the doctor, use of medications and elective surgeries. ... Click here to read the rest