HOSPITAL COSTS ARE EXPLODING — AND SHOW NO SIGNS OF GOING DOWN
By Julia Cohen Hospital costs have skyrocketed since 2000, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. Total hospital expenditures grew from $415.5 billion in 2000 to just under $1.1 trillion in 2016, according to Center for Medicare and Medicaid services data. That’s about a 160-percent increase over 16 years. In contrast, prescription drug spending increased…