Health Care Costs: A Primer – “The Kaiser Family Foundation released an updated primer that examines recent trends in health care costs in the United States and the factors that contribute to their rapid rise. Prepared by Foundation staff, the primer also describes the types and sources of health care spending, the demographic factors associated with higher or lower levels of spending, and the impact of higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs on families and employers. It also discusses factors that influence health care spending growth, including the use of new medical technology, population changes, and changes in disease prevalence, and highlights some of the challenges policymakers face in efforts to slow the rise in health care costs.”