The reimbursement rates paid to acute-care hospitals increased 2.7% last year after a slowdown in 2011 that contributed to an overall deceleration in hospital spending, preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show. Hospital reimbursement rates increased 2.2% in 2011.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports reimbursement rates paid to hospitals in its Producer Price Index.
For December, hospital reimbursement rates decreased 0.2%, the preliminary figures show, compared with an increase of 0.3% the same month the prior year.