U.S. healthcare prices increased in May 2012, rising 0.2 percent over April prices, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The BLS' Producer Price Indices measure average changes in selling prices received by domestic producers for their output. The May PPI report indicated that prices across the range of healthcare industries were 1.9 percent higher than a year ago.
The PPI translates into actual or expected reimbursement for a sample of treatments or services.
In the April-through-May period, prices received by physician offices remained flat, while hospital prices increased only 0.1 percent. The PPI for nursing care facilities experienced the largest bump, increasing by 0.5 percent.
Prices received by home healthcare services rose 0.2 percent from April through May. Prices in the medical and diagnostic laboratory sector and blood and organ donor banks remained flat.
Comparing May 2011 to May 2012, the largest increase in healthcare PPIs was in the residential mental retardation facilities market, which experienced a 2.9 percent increase. The second largest bump was in the dental office sector, which showed a PPI increase of 2.1 percent.