Booming health care costs and growing deficits create budget headache for Republicans

Congressional Republicans have promised to include deep spending cuts in their upcoming budget proposals and new data showing rising federal health care costs and a looming deficit increase will likely add to conservatives hunger for big funding reductions.

Federal health care costs are expected to jump to $936 billion in 2016, outpacing the $882 billion projected spending on Social Security, according to a report released Monday by the Congressional Budget Office. Those rising costs, paired with a huge dip in revenue from tax cuts enacted last month are expected to add up to a $544 billion budget deficit this year, according to Congress’ scorekeeper.