This article profiles 2006 healthcare spending focusing on prescription drugs and Medicare Part D’s impact on drug payers.  Overall healthcare spending increased 6.7 percent in 2006 while prescription drug spending increased 8.5 percent.  Additionally, Medicare accounted for a larger share of drug purchases than in previous years.   

Catlin, A., Cowan, C., Hartman ,M., & Heffler, S. (2008). National health spending in 2006: a year of change for prescription drugs. Health Affairs, 27(1): 14-29. DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.27.1.14. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/1/14 © 2008 by Project HOPE.