Overall U.S. healthcare prices in June 2011 mirrored last month’s slow but steady increase, 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 1.7 percent higher than a year ago.
The PPI translates into actual or expected reimbursement for a sample of treatments or services.
[See also: Healthcare prices continue slow, steady increase.]
In the May-through-June period, prices received by physician offices remained flat, while hospital prices rose 0.2 percent. The PPI for dentist offices also rose 0.2 percent.
The PPIs of other healthcare sectors were mixed. Prices received by home healthcare services dropped by 0.1 percent from May through June, as did prices in the medical and diagnostic laboratory sector.
In contrast, the PPI for blood and organ banks increased by 0.3 percent, while the PPI at nursing care facilities rose 0.1 percent. Residential mental retardation facilities experienced the largest increase in PPI across the month, as they saw prices received rise by 1.0 percent.
Comparing June 2010 to June 2011, healthcare PPIs rose 1.7 percent.
For instance, overall hospital prices were 1.7 percent higher in June than a year ago, while physician office prices were 1.2 percent higher. Nursing care facility prices increased 3.3 percent from June 2010 to June 2011, and prices for home healthcare services were 0.2 percent higher than a year ago.
The PPI for medical and diagnostic laboratories increased 0.4 percent from June 2010 to June 2011, while residential mental retardation facilities saw prices rise 4.6 percent through the year. Blood and organ banks experienced a moderate PPI increase of 0.5 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.