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. 1999 Fall;21(1):79–121.

Table 10. Quarterly Index Levels and Four-Quarter Moving Average Percent Change in the Prospective Payment System (PPS) Hospital Input Price Index, by Expense Category: 1997-2001.

Expense Category1 Price/Wage Variable Base Year Weights FY 19922 1997
Q2
1997
Q3
1997
Q4
1998
Q1
1998
Q2
1998
Q3
1998
Q4
1999
Q1
Forecast

1999
Q2
1999
Q3
1999
Q4
2000
Q1
2000
Q2
2000
Q3
2000
Q4
2001
Q1
Index Levels
Total 100.000 114.2 115.1 115.9 116.7 117.9 118.9 119.3 119.9 120.9 122.0 122.8 123.6 124.3 125.3 126.1 127.0
 Compensation 61.390 116.1 117.1 118.1 119.0 119.9 121.2 121.8 122.7 123.9 125.0 125.9 126.9 127.6 128.8 129.7 130.8
  Wages and Salaries HCFA Occupational Wage Index4 50.244 115.7 116.9 117.9 118.9 119.8 121.1 121.8 122.8 123.9 125.0 126.0 126.9 127.7 128.9 129.8 130.8
  Employee Benefits HCFA Occupational Benefits Index4 11.146 117.6 118.1 119.0 119.6 120.6 121.4 122.1 122.5 123.6 124.7 125.6 126.6 127.2 128.3 129.4 130.7
 Other Professional Fees ECI-W/S: Professional/Technical (Private) 2.127 117.3 117.9 118.9 119.8 120.9 122.2 123.0 123.3 124.5 125.7 126.6 127.7 128.6 129.8 130.7 131.9
 Energy and Utilities3 1.542 109.3 113.6 111.3 109.0 109.8 113.4 109.6 109.3 110.5 114.3 112.0 112.6 112.8 116.7 114.0 114.9
 Professional Liability Insurance HCFA-Professional Liability Premium 1.189 96.1 95.9 96.0 96.1 96.2 96.4 96.8 97.5 97.9 98.1 98.1 97.8 97.8 98.0 98.3 98.6
 All Other 33.752 111.5 112.1 112.5 113.4 115.1 115.5 115.6 116.0 116.7 117.5 118.3 118.9 119.5 120.0 120.7 121.5
  Other Products3 24.825 110.5 110.8 111.0 112.0 114.0 114.2 114.1 114.2 114.8 115.6 116.2 116.7 117.2 117.4 118.0 118.6
   Pharmaceuticals PPI-Prescription Drugs 4.162 119.3 119.7 121.1 129.2 143.7 145.7 146.8 148.8 150.3 151.2 152.6 154.3 155.6 156.2 157.7 159.8
   Food: Direct Purchase PPI-Processed Foods 2.314 110.5 109.9 109.4 107.7 107.6 108.4 107.9 107.6 105.8 105.9 105.8 106.1 106.8 107.1 107.2 107.6
   Food: Contract Service CPI-Food Away from Home 1.072 111.6 112.3 113.2 113.8 114.5 115.3 116.0 116.9 117.7 118.6 119.7 120.8 121.7 122.8 123.8 124.7
   Chemicals PPI-Industrial Chemicals 3.666 115.3 115.9 115.7 114.0 111.7 110.3 109.2 108.3 108.7 110.6 111.2 111.0 110.8 110.5 111.3 111.1
   Medical Instruments PPI-Medical Instruments/Equipment 3.080 104.5 104.9 104.2 103.6 103.1 103.3 103.5 103.9 104.0 104.2 104.3 104.6 104.7 104.7 104.9 105.6
   Rubber and Plastics PPI-Rubber/Plastic Products 4.750 107.3 107.4 107.3 107.2 106.9 106.6 106.5 106.1 107.0 107.5 108.0 108.4 108.6 108.8 108.8 108.8
   Paper Products PPI-Converted Paper and Paperboard 2.078 109.2 109.3 111.6 113.6 113.3 113.3 112.1 111.5 112.9 115.0 115.9 116.6 117.2 118.1 119.2 120.0
   Miscellaneous Products PPI-Finished Goods 2.236 107.2 107.2 107.3 106.1 106.4 106.6 106.9 106.9 107.7 108.0 108.5 108.9 109.3 109.5 110.1 110.6
  Other Services3 8.927 114.3 115.8 116.6 117.5 118.1 119.1 119.6 120.8 121.9 123.0 124.1 125.0 126.1 127.2 128.2 129.3
   All Other: Labor-Intensive ECI-Comp: Service Workers 7.277 115.0 116.9 117.8 118.8 119.4 120.6 121.2 122.5 123.8 124.9 126.2 127.2 128.4 129.7 130.8 131.9
Four-Quarter Moving-Average Percent Change
Total 100.000 2.1 2.0 2.1 2.3 2.6 2.9 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.7
 Compensation 61.390 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.9 3.1 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.1
  Wages and Salaries HCFA Occupational Wage Index4 50.244 2.9 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.2 3.1 3.1
  Employee Benefits HCFA Occupational Benefits Index4 11.146 1.7 1.5 1.6 1.7 2.0 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.9 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
 Other Professional Fees ECI-W/S: Professional/Technical (Private) 2.127 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.1 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.3
 Energy and Utilities3 1.542 2.6 2.3 2.0 0.7 0.6 0.3 -0.7 -0.2 -0.2 0.1 1.0 1.6 2.0 2.3 2.3 2.0
 Professional Liability Insurance HCFA-Professional Liability Premium 1.189 -1.1 -1.5 -1.8 -1.5 -1.0 -0.4 0.2 0.7 1.1 1.4 1.6 1.3 0.9 0.4 0.1 0.2
 All Other 33.752 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.2 1.8 2.3 2.7 2.8 2.3 2.0 1.9 2.0 2.3 2.4 2.3 2.2
  Other Products3 24.825 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.3 1.1 1.9 2.5 2.8 2.1 1.7 1.4 1.5 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.7
   Pharmaceuticals PPI-Prescription Drugs 4.162 2.9 2.6 3.1 4.5 9.0 13.7 18.1 19.5 15.1 10.6 6.6 4.0 3.8 3.6 3.5 3.4
    Food: Direct Purchase PPI-Processed Foods 2.314 3.7 1.8 0.5 -0.6 -1.6 -1.7 -1.8 -1.4 -1.1 -1.3 -1.5 -1.8 -1.2 -0.3 0.5 1.2
    Food: Contract Service CPI-Food Away From Home 1.072 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.9 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.4 3.4
    Chemicals PPI-Industrial Chemicals 3.666 0.0 0.3 -0.2 -1.3 -1.7 -2.8 -4.0 -4.6 -4.5 -3.3 -1.5 0.4 1.6 1.6 1.1 0.5
     Medical Instruments PPI-Medical Instruments/Equipment 3.080 -0.4 -0.8 -1.5 -1.2 -1.2 -1.3 -1.1 -0.8 -0.2 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7
    Rubber and Plastics PPI-Rubber/Plastic Products 4.750 -0.7 -0.6 -0.5 -0.3 -0.4 -0.4 -0.5 -0.8 -0.6 -0.2 0.4 1.2 1.5 1.6 1.4 0.9
    Paper Products PPI-Converted Paper and Paperboard 2.078 -5.8 -4.9 -3.3 -1.3 0.8 2.3 2.5 1.5 0.4 -0.1 0.7 2.3 3.3 3.6 3.5 3.0
    Miscellaneous Products PPI-Finished Goods 2.236 2.1 1.3 0.4 -0.5 -0.8 -0.9 -0.9 -0.3 0.2 0.7 1.2 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.5
  Other Services3 8.927 2.8 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.6 3.3 3.1 2.9 2.9 3.0 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4
   All Other: Labor-Intensive ECI-Comp: Service Workers 7.277 2.9 3.5 3.8 4.1 4.2 3.8 3.5 3.3 3.2 3.3 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.7
1

For data sources used to estimate the Input Price Index relative weights and choice of price proxies, refer to the August 29, 1997, Federal Register. For the most recent PPS update for payment rates, refer to the July 31, 1998, Federal Register.

2

Category weights may not sum to total or subtotals because of detail not included.

3

Represents a subtotal. Detailed categories not shown are listed below by subtotal, detailed category, and base-year weight: Energy and Utilities: Fuel Oil, Coal, and Other Fuel (0.369), Electricity (0.927), and Water and Sewage (0.246). Other Products: Photographic Supplies (0.391), Apparel (0.869), and Machinery and Equipment (0.207). Other Services: Telephone (0.581), Postage (0.272), and Other Non-Labor Intensive (0.796).

4

The HCFA Occupational Wage and Occupational Benefit Indexes are computed as the weighted-average of 10 ECI categories (ECI for Hospital workers and 9 ECI occupational categories).

NOTES: A dash (—) in the Price/Wage Variable column denotes a total or subtotal produced by adding two or more categories. FY is fiscal year. Q designates quarter of year. HCFA is Health Care Financing Administration. ECI is Employment Cost Index. W/S is wages and salaries. PPI is Producer Price Index. CPI is Consumer Price Index. Comp is compensation. The four-quarter moving-average percent change for the quarter indicated by the column heading is the rate of change in the average index level for four quarters ending in that quarter over the same period of the previous year. The four-quarter moving-average index level for the quarter indicated by the column heading is computed by summing the index level for that quarter and the prior three quarters and dividing by 4. The process is repeated to compute the four-quarter moving-average index level for the same quarter a year ago. The average index level for the quarter indicated by the column heading is divided by the average index level of the same quarter a year ago, and the quotient is subtracted from 1 and multiplied by 100 to determine the four-quarter moving-average percent change in the index.

SOURCES: Health Care Financing Administration, Office of the Actuary: Data from the National Health Statistics Group. Second quarter 1999 forecasts were produced under contract to HCFA by Standard & Poor's DRI.