Inflation rose 0.4% for April, bringing prices up 4.9% overall for the last year.
Among the various measures for health care services and goods, medical care services generally were stable, dipping 0.1% from March to April, and up 0.4% from April 2022 to April 2023. Physician service prices were flat for the month and up 0.3% from April last year to April 2023, Medical Economics reports.
Hospital service prices overall rose 0.5% from March to April and by 2.9% from a year ago. Inpatient hospital services rose 0.6% for the month and were up 2.6% over last year, while outpatient hospital services rose 0.4% from March and 4.2% from April 2022.
Health insurance prices nudged down 3.8% from March to April and were down 15.8% from April 2022 to April 2023. That annual decrease was one of the largest in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers expanded with detailed expenditures.
Overall medical care commodities went up in price by 0.5% for the month and 4% from April 2022 to April 2023. Prescription drug prices rose 0.3% for the month and 2.9% year-over-year, while nonprescription drugs were up 0.8% for the month and 5.5% From April 2022. Medical equipment and supply prices rose 0.9% from March to April, and were up 9.9% from April last year. Read more.
