Image of male nurse pushing senior woman in a wheelchair in nursing facility

By 2012, taxpayers will be footing the bill for 50% of all healthcare spending in the U.S., a new government report  suggests.

Last year, healthcare spending grew by roughly 5.7% to approximately $2.5 trillion. Increased enrollment in Medicaid as a result of rising unemployment was a major driver of costs in 2009, according to the report. Also, more people sought coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Still another contributing factor was the use of a wider variety of healthcare services for treatment for the H1N1 influenza virus.

National spending on healthcare is projected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2019 and make up 19.3% of the gross domestic product. The public share of healthcare spending will rise to 52% by 2019, the report shows. CMS’s Office of the Actuary prepared the report. It was published online by the journal Health Affairs.