Medicare cost growth slows

Medicare costs grew at their slowest pace in six years, according to Standard & Poor's Healthcare Economic Indices.

Modern Healthcare: Medicare Revenue Growth Slows: S&P
Medicare revenue growth for hospitals and health care professionals continued to cool for the year that ended in June, new figures from Standard & Poor's Healthcare Economic Indices show. The economic indices estimate the average per capita change in Medicare fee-for-service and commercial insurer revenue per month and annually. Medicare revenue for hospitals and health care professionals again set a record for slow annual growth after a 2.5 percent increase for the year ended in June, Standard & Poor's said in a news release announcing the deal (Evans, 8/18).

Reuters: Medicare Costs Rise At Slowest Pace In 6 Years
Growth in hospital revenue from Medicare patients was roughly one-third the rate seen from patients on private health insurance during the past year, according to data from Standard & Poor's. Medicare revenue rose 2.5 percent per patient in the year before June, the slowest rate since S&P started keeping track in January 2005, the S&P Healthcare Economic Index showed on Thursday. Revenue for patients on commercial insurance rose 7.48 percent in the year ending in June. The S&P Healthcare Economic Indices measure the revenue hospitals and other health care providers receive for treating each patient under Medicare and commercial insurance programs (Yukhananov, 8/18).