The prediction is that health spending will continue to increase by nearly 6% per year until 2024 (Keehan et al., 2014). Healthcare costs for patients as well as the industry have been increasing at a more rapid rate than inflation, and this is due to increased coverage of the population and an aging population among other reasons (Keehan, Cuckler, Sisko, Madison, Smith, Stone, & Lizonitz, 2015). This is not necessarily a bad thing as it represents more individuals receiving the care they need, however it is a concern given the limitations of capacity.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is both a short term problem abut also a long term solution when it comes to rising healthcare costs. It is a short term problem because the spending on healthcare must rise dramatically with the increased population which has access to required health insurance coverage. It is a long term solution because there are many aspects to the ACA which will ensure that in the long run there are increased efficiencies (Keehan et al., 2014).

An aging population also contributes to the burden of healthcare costs, as persons over the age of 50 typically have greater health care needs (Keehan et al., 2014). There is a population bulge of baby boomers, which as a cohort are preparing to enter or are already in their golden years, and this increase in demand for health care will also result in increased expenditures (Keehan et al., 2014).

It is worth noting that despite the increases in health care costs and spending, it is even more expensive to restrict health care costs as the ultimate result is an increase in untreated health problems. One study of diabetes calculated the economic costs of increased glycemic levels, and this was more expensive than the health care which could help to manage and control it (Dall, Yang, Halder, Pang, Massoudi, Wintfeld, & Hogan, 2014).

References
• Dall, T. M., Yang, W., Halder, P., Pang, B., Massoudi, M., Wintfeld, N., … & Hogan, P. F. (2014). The economic burden of elevated blood glucose levels in 2012: diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, gestational diabetes mellitus, and prediabetes. Diabetes care, 37(12), 3172-3179.
• Keehan, S. P., Cuckler, G. A., Sisko, A. M., Madison, A. J., Smith, S. D., Stone, D. A., … & Lizonitz, J. M. (2015). National health expenditure projections, 2014–24: spending growth faster than recent trends. Health Affairs, 34(8), 1407-1417.