Prices for hospital and related services for consumers rose 6.3 percent since last year, according to the latest unadjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medical care as a whole rose 3.2 percent, according to the Consumer Price Index results released Friday.

These figures tallied closely with last year's numbers: from 2008 to 2009, hospital services costs rose 6.5 percent and medical care as a whole climbed 3.3 percent.

Medical care costs rose 0.2 percent in August, after falling 0.1 percent the month before. Hospital costs rose 0.5 percent after a 0.4 dip the month before. In June, though, hospital prices inched up 0.6 percent.
In figures released Thursday, the bureau said doctors' offices, hospital and home health care wholesale prices rose 0.2 percent in August. Since last year, doctors' offices prices rose 2.7 percent, home health care 1 percent and hospitals 3.1 percent.

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