KC companies feel the pinch as health care costs accelerate

With health care spending expected to accelerate in the next decade, Kansas City employers are seeking avenues to keep costs down. Last year, health care spending nationwide was projected at $3.4 trillion, and it's expected to grow at a faster pace. The increases are chalked up to rising care costs, prescription drug prices and a larger pool of patients needing services. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, national health care spending is expected to grow an average of…