For the first time, spending on federal healthcare programs in 2015 topped spending on Social Security, according to The Hill.
Here are five takeaways:
1. In 2015, the government spent $936 billion on healthcare programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and subsidies related to the Affordable Care Act, as found in a congressional budget scorekeeper report.
2. This spending was a 13 percent increase from 2014.
3. Last year, spending on Social Security reached $882 billion.
4. The escalating costs of healthcare programs will likely cause an election-year debate on the Affordable Care Act and its significant impact on the budget.
5. In the CBO report, officials offered a warning about mandatory spending programs and their share of the federal budget. In 2015, mandatory programs spending increased by $200 billion.
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