19 Nov Healthcare Costs Up 7% by Sept.

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 18 – The average, per capita cost of providing healthcare services in the United States rose by 7.08% for the past 12 months ending in September, a rate of growth that has slowed slightly, but which is still well above the 1.1% overall inflation for the same period, according to the latest monthly study by Standard & Poor’s.

The new numbers are consistent with a trend that from September 2000 to September 2010 has seen healthcare inflation rise 48% while overall Consumer Price Index has risen 26% for the same period, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.

A further breakdown of the data from the S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index show that physician and hospital claims costs associated with commercial plans rose 8.54% for the 12-months ending in September, while similar claims associated with Medicare rose 4.68%, despite Medicare’s sicker, older population.

The annual growth rates calculate a percent change of the 12-month moving averages of the monthly index levels when compared with the same month in the previous year.

The trends mark a slight deceleration of growth from the 7.31% reported for the 12 months ending in August, 2010. Physician and hospital claims costs associated with commercial plans and with Medicare rose 8.64% and 5.07%, respectively, in the 12 months ending in August.

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