Hospital PPI figures flat in January

Wholesale acute-care hospital prices were flat in January for the second straight month, preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index show. In January 2010, acute-care hospital wholesale prices increased 0.4%. For the 12-month period ended last month, the acute-care hospital index increased 2.1%, according to the preliminary data. A year ago, hospital prices rose 1.6%.

Physician office wholesale prices climbed 0.2% in January after the prior month’s 0.1% increase. The figures are also preliminary. Physician prices were flat in January 2010. Physician office prices increased 1.5% during the year that ended last month compared with 1.6% the prior year.