Health Care Revenues Topped $1 Trillion in 1999, Census Bureau Figures Reveal

Revenues for the health care and social assistance industries rose 4.3% in 1999, hitting $1.01 trillion, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The AP/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that hospital revenues rose 3.9% to $413 billion in 1999, with private insurance payments to hospitals jumping 6% to $143 billion and Medicare reimbursements totaling $134 billion. For all physicians offices, the Census Bureau reports revenues of $202 billion in 1999, an increase of 4.7%. Private insurance paid $90 billion to those offices, with Medicare paying $45 billion and $21 billion coming from out-of-pocket patient expenses (AP/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/6). The report will be released today and will be available online at www.census.gov.