Hospital prices, not insurance rates, may be cause of increased cost strain on consumers

Medical Xpress July 1, 2024
Avery Ruxer Franklin, Rice University

The gap between health insurance costs and workers’ wages has significantly expanded, and this trend has not only led to significant concerns about health care affordability but raised questions regarding whether hospitals or health insurance companies bear the blame for escalating costs, according to new research from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

In the Health Affairs Scholar report “Why Does the Cost of Employer Sponsored Coverage Keep Rising?,” authors Vivian Ho and Salpy Kanimian examined consumer price indices for health insurance, hospital services and professional services from 2006 to 2023 using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The analysis shows that the hospital price index rose steadily between these years—faster than insurance premiums or professional services.

“The public is...

Today's Sponsors

Today's Sponsor