Final answer:
Healthcare spending accounted for 17.9% of US GDP in 2010, equating to an average of over $8,000 per person. Federal spending on healthcare has been increasing over time, in line with trends showing growing expenditures on Medicare and Medicaid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the percentage of the United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that was allocated towards healthcare spending in the year 2010. Healthcare spending accounted for 17.9% of US GDP in 2010, which averages to more than $8,000 per person.
This period saw an increase in government spending on healthcare expenses, mainly for programs like Medicare and Medicaid. While federal spending has fluctuated over the years, healthcare has grown steadily as a percent of GDP, with significant implications for the increasing portion of government budgets.
Comparing this spend to recent numbers, in 2015, total government expenditures by all levels of government was $6.2 trillion, which equated to $19,386 per person for total government spending across all categories—not just for healthcare. The increasing cost of healthcare is a trend expected to continue, impacting fiscal policies and budget allocations.