FierceHealthcare reports:
“Healthcare costs will continue to rise next year, and a major culprit is the industry’s ‘merger-mania.'”
“Costs are projected to rise by about 6 percent in 2019—in line with recent years and a big improvement from a time not too long ago when prices were rising annually by double digits, according to the annual Behind the Numbers report from the PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute.
“But trends such as healthcare industry’s consolidation has stymied further progress in lowering costs, said Barbara Gniewek, health and welfare practice leader at PwC, in an interview with FierceHealthcare. At the same time, consumers are demanding more convenient access to care, and the focus on new sites of care—such as retail clinics and virtual visits—are also increasing costs as utilization rates increase.”
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