Overall U.S. healthcare prices increased minimally from January 2011 to February 2011, rising 0.1 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 1.5 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]
In the January-to-February period, prices fell slightly in most sectors and increased incrementally in others. Hospital prices decreased 0.2 percent across the month, while physician office prices increased 0.9 percent. Prices for medical and diagnostic laboratories trended downward, falling 0.4 percent.
Prices for home healthcare services fell 0.3 percent, while the PPI for blood and organ banks increased by 0.4 percent in February.
Prices at dentist offices were flat across the month, while prices at nursing care facilities rose 0.4 percent. The PPI for residential mental retardation facilities fell 0.1 percent.
Comparing February 2010 to February 2011, healthcare PPIs moved upward.
For instance, overall hospital prices were 1.4 percent higher in February than a year ago, while physician office prices were 1.8 percent higher. Nursing care facility prices increased 2.4 percent from February 2010 to February 2011, and prices for home healthcare services were 0.2 percent higher than a year ago.
Medical and diagnostic laboratory prices dropped 0.3 percent from February 2010 to February 2011, while residential mental retardation facilities saw prices jump 5.2 percent through the year. Blood and organ banks experienced a 12-month increase in prices of 0.3 percent.
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.