WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. federal government recorded a $209 billion budget deficit in November as an increase in spending on programs like public health insurance outpaced gains in revenues, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.
Washington had run a budget deficit of $205 billion in the same month last year, according to the Treasury's monthly budget statement.
Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a $196.5 billion deficit for November.
Receipts last month totalled $225 billion, up $19 billion from November 2018, while outlays were $434 billion, a rise of $23 billion from the same month a year earlier.
The U.S. government's fiscal year ends in September each year. Fiscal year 2019 saw a widening in the deficit to the largest budget deficit in seven years at nearly $1 trillion, a result of Washington's decisions to cut taxes and increase government spending.
When adjusted for calendar effects, the deficit for November was $161 billion compared with an adjusted deficit of $164 billion in November 2018.
(Reporting by Jason Lange)
