New projections by federal government actuaries suggest that the nation’s five-year run of tiny increases in health care spending is coming to an end.

There's one especially eye-catching number in a new report by Medicare actuaries about U.S. healthcare spending: 12.6%.

Deals among the nation’s largest health insurers in recent weeks have been almost head-spinning. But whatever the details, if the combinations are finalized, the result will be an industry dominated by three colossal insurers.

If 10% of Californians who have hepatitis C are treated with newer, more effective yet costly specialty drugs, projected costs over the next 12 months would be $4.77 billion, with $2.05 billion of that spent on the state-funded population.

Two-thirds of Californians who were uninsured before the Affordable Care Act went into effect now have health coverage, according to a study released Thursday.

The leaders of the top five health insurers periodically get together to discuss policy issues, Aetna Inc. Chief Executive Mark T. Bertolini told investors in a private meeting earlier this month. The group had a nickname, he joked: the G5.