The US is expected to spend more than $560 billion on prescription medications in 2026, up 8.2% from last year as drugs for obesity and diabetes grow increasingly popular.
The nation’s total healthcare tab — the collective expenditures by governments, businesses and households — is projected to surpass $6 trillion in 2026, fueled in large part by prescription drug outlays, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released Wednesday. Spending on prescriptions will likely grow faster than any other major category.