U.S. Health Care Costs Up by 5.8% Since March 2010

Between March 2010 and March 2011, the average per capita cost of health care services covered by commercial insurance and Medicare programs increased by 5.77%. Hospital costs during that same time period increased by 5.21%, and the cost of services provided by medical professionals increased by 6.15%. These average costs were broken out by costs covered by commercial insurance and costs covered by Medicare as follows:  Health care costs covered by commercial insurance rose by 7.6%. Hospital costs covered by commercial insurance payers increased by 8.36%. The cost of professional medical services increased by 6 . . .