Diagnostic Groups with Rapidly Increasing Costs, by Payer, 2001–2007

Inpatient care comprises the largest portion of health care spending in the United States. As health care costs continue to rise and the population ages, policy makers are increasingly concerned about the growing burden of hospital-based medical care expenses on the government, tax payers, consumers, and employers. Identifying the conditions that generate the most rapid increases in hospital costs can inform the discussion of medical care costs.