Which of the following do you think is the most important driver of increasing health care costs?

Health care costs continue to rise faster than the rate of inflation. They rose by 8% in 2011 and are expected to increase by 8.5% in 2012, according to the annual Behind the Numbers report on medical costs from PwC’s Health Research Institute. In 2009, personal health care expenditures totaled more than $2 trillion, federal statistics show. Hospital care accounted for the biggest chunk of that spending ($759.1 billion).

Many factors affect health care costs. Renal & Urology News would like to know what you see as the main culprit. Please take a few moments to respond to our latest poll.

Which of the following do you think is the most important driver of increasing health care costs?
Leave a comment below on why you chose your answer. If your answer doesn’t match one of our choices, please let us know why.