Overall U.S. healthcare prices increased slightly from November to December, rising 0.3 percent, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the BLS' Producer Price Indices, which measure average changes in selling prices received by domestic producers for their output, prices across the range of healthcare industries were 2.1 percent higher than a year ago.
The PPI translates into actual or expected reimbursement for a sample of treatments or services.
[Compare the current healthcare PPI data to last month’s report; a story from early 2010 suggests inflationary prices would tax hospital supply chain staff]
In the November-to-December 2010 period, prices were relatively stable, trending incrementally upward in most healthcare sectors. Hospital prices rose 0.5 percent across the month, while physician office prices remained flat, as did prices for medical and diagnostic laboratories. Prices for home healthcare services and nursing care facilities rose only 0.1 percent.
The PPI for blood and organ banks experienced the only drop in December, falling 0.3 percent.
Comparing December 2009 to December 2010, healthcare prices were higher across the board.
For instance, overall hospital prices were 2.2 percent higher in December than a year ago, while physician office prices were 2.3 percent higher. Nursing care facility prices increased 1.5 percent from December 2009 to December 2010, and prices for home healthcare services were 0.9 percent higher than a year ago.
Medical and diagnostic laboratories experienced a 0.6 percent increase from December 2009 to December 2010.
The PPIs for healthcare industry segments measure changes in actual or expected reimbursement received for services across the full range of payer types. This includes the negotiated contract rate from the payer plus any portion expected to be paid by the patient.