Medical care prices faced by consumers accelerated to an annualized rate of 5.4% during January to April 2007, compared with 4% for 2006 (Table 1). The rate for the first four months of 2007 is more than one percentage point above its average for the previous five years. Moreover, it is higher than for any year since 1993 (Figure 1). The projected rate for 2007 is based on only a few months of dataso does not necessarily portend price change once the entire year has run its course. (The consumer price index [CPI] data in this report are from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics [www.data.bls.gov/data/]. Monthly data are seasonally adjusted.)
