Why did the CPI for medical care in PA / NJ / DE / MD in 2017 stay flat?
January 16, 2018 7:52 AM Subscribe
In looking at the 2017 annual stats from the Labor dept for medical care CPI, I noticed something rather odd. Unlike every other region in the US, and unlike the total overall CPI trend for the region itself, the medical care CPI for PA / NJ / DE / MD was almost flat in 2017 - 0.4%. This is a strange outlier.
I am wondering if you might have any insights as to why the CPI for medical care in this specific region was so different from everywhere else in the country, and so different from the overall CPI for all items in the region. It looks like an external force of some kind is affecting the numbers, and now I'm so curious that I have to know!
The data tool I am using is located here.
All urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted, medical care, by region, with annual trend and % change included.
I am wondering if you might have any insights as to why the CPI for medical care in this specific region was so different from everywhere else in the country, and so different from the overall CPI for all items in the region. It looks like an external force of some kind is affecting the numbers, and now I'm so curious that I have to know!
The data tool I am using is located here.
All urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted, medical care, by region, with annual trend and % change included.
Maryland (unique among all states) has a regulatory system where a state regulator mandates common hospital prices to insurers. It may be possible that is affecting things.
posted by dismas at 9:36 AM on January 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by dismas at 9:36 AM on January 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
This isn't an answer, but I suspect the geography you are looking at is actually the Philadelphia metro area - "Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City PA / NJ / DE / MD" is a standard CPI geography, but the four states by themselves are not, only the entire Northeast.
The counties included are: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia in PA; Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem in NJ; New Castle DE, Cecil MD. Basically metro Philly, including everything in NJ south of Trenton and Wilmington DE.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 10:07 AM on January 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
The counties included are: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia in PA; Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem in NJ; New Castle DE, Cecil MD. Basically metro Philly, including everything in NJ south of Trenton and Wilmington DE.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 10:07 AM on January 16, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oooo Homeboy Trouble, that's super useful to know. The mystery remains, but more clearly defined. Thanks!
posted by lazaruslong at 11:00 AM on January 16, 2018
posted by lazaruslong at 11:00 AM on January 16, 2018
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posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:32 AM on January 16, 2018