Report: Increased Health Care Spending Following COVID Decline

Health care spending in Rhode Island increased post-COVID but is now stabilizing, reports the Rhode Island Current. A report from the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner found health care spending in 2022 increased 1.6 percent from 2021, about half the rate of increase in the prior year. The report highlights concerns over escalating pharmaceutical costs and emphasizes the shift towards outpatient services: inpatient spending decreased by 5.4 percent while outpatient costs rose by 4.4 percent.