Heavy Rain, Fewer Umbrellas

While health spending in the U.S. is expected to climb to $2.6 trillion in 2009, the number of people without health insurance is expected to surge from 45 million to about 54 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office, as reported by the Associated Press.

The $2.6 trillion breaks down to $8300 for each person in the nation and calculates out to about 18% of the U.S. economy.

As the nation's legislators seek to expand health insurance coverage, they are also looking to make big changes in the system in an effort to slow overall health care costs.

Some changes being considered are changing the method of paying health care providers and altering tax policy vis-a-vis health insurance payments.