Hospital Prices Increase at Slowest Rate in 15 Years
Hospital prices in 2013 increased by 4.7%, the smallest increase since 1999, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2013 Consumer Price Index. That rate is also lower than the average annual increase of 6.2% since 1999. Meanwhile, the hospital CPI -- which reflects the prices paid by commercial insurers -- has declined over the last four years.
- "Hospital Prices Grow at Slowest Rate Since 1999" (Evans, Modern Healthcare, 1/16).