http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb82.pdf

Presents the latest statistics on the inpatient costs of patients who die in the hospital. The 2007 inpatient death rate was 1.9%, but hospital stays ending in death were responsible for 5.2% or $20 billion of all hospital inpatient costs. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.bls.gov/osmr/pdf/ec090090.pdf

Examines technical enhancements made to the calculation of the Consumer Price Index back in 2002 and whether the current biennial weight update process can be improved upon. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10681/10-26-DrugR&D.pdf

Reports that spending on prescription drugs is the fastest growing category of total spending on health care in the U.S. Between 1994 and 2004 inflation-adjusted spending on prescription drugs rose at an average annual rate of 11.1%. From the Congressional Budget Office.

http://www.bls.gov/osmr/pdf/ec090090.pdf

Provides a retrospective look at the effects of two 2002 technical enhancements to the Consumer Price Index and offers conclusions and recommendations for further research. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cesan.pdf

Reports that average annual consumer expenditures rose 1.7% in 2008 following an increase of 2.6% in 2007. Increases in spending for housing and food were somewhat offset by decreases in spending for transportation, and apparel. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_BASIC&contentId=17943

Provides the latest expense reimbursement rates for federal government travelers. From the General Services Administration.

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st253/stat253.pdf

Compares summary statistics on health care expenditures and expenditure distributions by type of service and source of payment for children under age 18. Finds the average annual expense per child was somewhat higher in 2006 than in 1996 ($1560 versus $1257) after adjusting for inflation. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st254/stat254.pdf

Compares summary statistics on health care expenditures and expenditure distributions by type of service and source of payment for adults 18 to 44. Finds the average annual expense was significantly higher in 2006 than in 1996 ($2703 versus $2177) after adjusting for inflation. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st255/stat255.pdf

Compares summary statistics on health care expenditures and expenditure distributions by type of service and source of payment for adults 45 to 64. Finds the average annual expense per adult was markedly higher in 2006 ($5,455 in 2006 versus $3849 in 1996) after adjusting for inflation. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st256/stat256.pdf

Compares summary statistics on health care expenditures and expenditure distributions by type of service and source of payment for the elderly in 2006 and 1996. Finds the average annual expense per elderly person was about 30% higher in 2006 than in 1996 after adjusting for inflaton. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/supporting/2009/PSI.WheatSpeculation.062409.pdf

Examines in detail how commodity index traders manipulated the price of wheat contracts traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Finds that there is persuasive evidence to conclude that these index traders were one of the major causes for differences between the price of wheat futures contracts and the price of wheat in the cash market. From the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.