U.S. healthcare prices increased in January 2013, rising 0.2 percent over December 2012 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 January PPI report indicated that 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.
In the December through January period, prices received by physician offices rose 0.4 percent, while hospital prices increased only 0.1 percent. The PPI for dentist offices experienced a slightly higher bump, increasing by 0.8 percent.
The PPIs of some other key healthcare sectors were down last month. Prices received by home healthcare services fell 0.4 percent from December through January, while prices in the medical and diagnostic laboratory sector dropped 0.2 percent, and prices received by residential mental retardation facilities slid by 0.3 percent.
The PPI for blood and organ banks rose 0.1 percent across the month, as did the PPI at nursing care facilities.
Comparing January 2013 to January 2012, overall healthcare PPIs rose 1.5 percent.
For instance, overall hospital prices were 2.0 percent higher in January than a year ago, while physician office prices were 0.8 percent higher. Nursing care facility prices increased 1.9 percent from January 2012 to January 2013 but prices for home healthcare services rose only 0.2 percent across the 12-month period.
The PPI for medical and diagnostic laboratories dropped 0.8 percent from January 2012 to January 2013, while residential mental retardation facilities saw prices rise a whopping 3.9 percent through the year. Blood and organ banks experienced a PPI increase of 0.5 percent in the same period.
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.