Healthcare is trending toward pricier outpatient services

An increasing share of hospital services have been performed in an outpatient setting in the past decade, according to a recent analysis from the Health Care Cost Institute—a trend that’s costing patients more every year.

The 2017 Health Care Cost and Utilization Report found healthcare prices have risen substantially in recent years, and we know those costs can be compounded when hospitals outsource services to other facilities. But it’s becoming a more common phenomenon, with the Physicians Advocacy Institute reporting the number of physician practices acquired by hospitals doubled between 2012 and 2016.

“This trend is important, as services performed in an outpatient setting may come with...