Health Populi May 17, 2024
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that surging hospital prices are helping to keep inflation high.
Hospital costs rose 7.7% last month, the highest increase in 13 years. This chart from WSJ’s reporting illustrates the >2x change in the CPI for hospitals vs the overall rate of price increases.
Hospitals are not alone in price cliffs, with health insurance premiums spiking last year at the fastest rate in a decade, the Labor Statistics data showed.
“For patients and their employers, the increases have meant higher health-insurance premiums, as well as limiting wage hikes,” Melanie Evans explained.
This story added to my ongoing thinking about inflation and health care in the U.S., and how that nexus is impacting Americans’ well-being across...
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