Healthcare prices decreased slightly in September
Overall U.S. healthcare prices decreased slightly from August to September 2012, falling 0.5 percent, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
According to the BLS' Producer Price Indices, which measure average changes in selling prices received by domestic producers for their output, prices across all sectors of the healthcare industry were 1.8 percent higher than a year ago.
The PPI translates into actual or expected reimbursement for a sample of treatments or services.
In the August to September period, hospital prices decreased 1 percent across the month, while home healthcare prices fell 0.2 percent. The PPI physician offices also trended down, falling 0.1 percent.
Prices for blood and organ donor banks, nursing car facilities, dentist offices and medical and diagnostic laboratories remained steady.
Residential mental retardation facilities saw the only healthcare sector PPI increase, with prices ticking up 0.4 percent.
Comparing September 2011 to September 2012, overall hospital prices were 2.4 percent higher in September than a year ago, while physician office prices rose 1.0 percent and dentist office prices were 1.4 percent higher. Nursing care facility prices increased 1.0 percent, and prices for home healthcare services were 0.7 percent higher than a year ago.
The PPI for medical and diagnostic laboratories fell 0.5 percent from September 2011 to September 2012, while residential mental retardation facilities saw prices rise 1.2 percent through the year. Blood and organ banks experienced an increase of 0.8 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.
