Annual Percentage Increase in Healthcare Costs by Service Category, 2002-2010
The rate of increase for healthcare expense will likely continue to outpace the overall rate of inflation.
Hospital outpatient and pharmaceutical expenses are projected to continue with an average annual increase of approximately 12% per year.
The 8% annual rate of increase for hospital inpatient care and physician services seen in the first half of the decade is also projected to continue through 2010.
Notes:
The trends shown are underlying claim cost trends and thus do not include the effects of any cost-sharing leveraging.
