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July 30, 2014
After a reported drop in the first quarter, health care costs grew at a 2.6 percent annual rate. They stand just 3.0 percent above their year-ago level. While there were likely some errors in the data leading to a sharp reported rise in spending in the fourth quarter of 2013, followed by a nominal drop last quarter, taken together these numbers indicate there was no surge in spending associated with the implementation of Obamacare.