Increase in Medicare transfer payments pushes "income" up 0.8% in March

[papau]

The Commerce Department http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2006/pi0306.pdf reported that incomes soared by 0.8% but some of the increase was a pickup in transfer payments from the Medicare program.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060501/bs_nm/economy_income_dc;_ylt=AjTgkmbFAaEQw0b_hWRM5.qyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Consumer spending, income top expectations By Chris Reese
Mon May 1, 12:14 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending and income rose more than expected in March, while an influential measure of inflation -- the core price index -- topped economists' expectations, the government reported on Monday. <snip>

In Monday's first report, the Commerce Department said consumer spending rose 0.6 percent in March as incomes jumped, although much of the gain was eroded by the pickup in inflation.<snip>

According to the consumer spending report, personal income rose 0.8 percent in March, partly reflecting a big pickup in transfer payments from the Medicare health-care program.<snip>