Panelists talked about health spending and the potential for costs to increase as the population ages. Panelists argued that stabilizing health spending and targeting it in ways that ensure access to care would improve health outcomes and free up billions of dollars annually for economic and social investments in both the economy and workplace. 
Health spending as a share of GDP is nearly 18%, up from 14% in 2000 & 5% in 1960. A report released by actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found that health spending as a share of GDP remained steady at 17.9 percent from 2009 through 2011. Despite that stability, some analysts warn that as the economy improves and the population ages cost increases could again accelerate.