Report: Hospital costs slow under pressure by insurers

Cost increases incurred by hospitals in the United States slowed in 2006 as health insurers pressed for discounts and directed more people to outpatient care, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Expenses for providing care rose 0.9% in 2006, the latest year reviewed, compared with the average annual increase of 4.8% for 1997 through 2006, the report found.