After a five-year contraction in employer healthcare spending growth, medical inflation in the U.S. is projected to rise to 6.8% in 2015, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC; New York) Health Research Institute (HRI). In its annual report, Medical Cost Trend: Behind the Numbers, HRI projects that the stronger economy is now reaching the health sector, releasing a pent-up demand for care and services.