The average per capita cost of hospital services covered by Medicare and commercial payers grew 1.97 percent from May 2012 to May 2013, down from the 2.05 percent growth rate reported in April, according to Standard & Poor's Healthcare Economic Indices through May.
The annual growth rate for all S&P healthcare economic indices slowed in May. S&P's Healthcare Economic Composite Index showed an annual growth rate of 2.96 percent, a drop from the 3.19 percent rate recorded in April.
Revenue growth rates have fallen even further from rates recorded in September 2012, when S&P's Hospital Index hit 3.84 percent, then its lowest annual rate since January 2005. Hospital annual growth from commercial payers decelerated from 1.89 percent in April to 1.85 percent in May.
Here are the latest S&P healthcare indices through May 2013:
S&P Healthcare Economic Indices (12-Month Moving Average)
Composite Index: 2.96 percent
Medicare Index: 0.85 percent
Commercial Index: 4.34 percent
Hospital Index: 1.97 percent
Hospital Medicare Index: 2.09 percent
Hospital Commercial Index: 1.85 percent
Professional Services Index: 3.85 percent
Professional Services Medicare Index: -1.27 percent
Professional Services Commercial Index: 6.55 percent
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