In 2015, health care costs will rise by about 6.8 percent, according to a report from the Health Research Institute at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The report also outlines some of the reasons why costs will rise. As the economy improves, for example, health care costs will increase as well, the report says. Other reasons costs will rise include the increased us of costly specialty medications and the fact that more cancer patients are getting medications in hospitals today rather than in physicians’ offices where they had received these medications in years past. Hospitals are a more expensive setting than physicians’ offices, the report says. The report, Medical cost trend: Behind the numbers 2015, is available for download, although free registration is required. See also the accompanying charts in a separate download, Medical cost trend: Behind the numbers 2015 chart pack (pdf).
