WTA: State health care spending greater than U.S.

Over 20 years ending in the mid-2000s, Wisconsin went from spending less than the national average on health care to spending more than the national average, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.

The WTA’s report identifies two main factors for the increased spending — per capita hospital spending, which went from 16.2 percent less than average in 1985 to 8.3 percent more than average by 2004, and per capita spending on physician and clinical services, which grew from 2.8 percent less than average to 12.4 percent more than average.

Despite rising spending, the percentage of Wisconsin residents with health insurance has grown and remains better than the national average. In 1999, 9.5 percent of Wisconsin residents and 14 percent of the U.S. were uninsured; by 2006, Wisconsin’s uninsured rate dropped to 8.8 percent, but the U.S.’ increased to 15.8 percent.

The report credits a higher rate of employer-covered insurance in Wisconsin, 67.1 percent vs. 59.7 percent in the U.S., and state health insurance programs; BadgerCare enrollments increased 254 percent and Medicaid enrollments increased 86 percent between 1999 and 2006.