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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Geographic Information > Southwest > Notice

Operating by the Numbers: Navigating Hospital Economics with BLS Data — May 14th, 2026

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is proud to present a labor market conference on:

Operating by the Numbers: Navigating Hospital Economics with BLS Data

Join the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Southwest and Mountain-Plains regional office for an in-depth webinar exploring the economic dynamics of the U.S. hospital industry. Drawing on BLS data sources, this session will provide a comprehensive overview of hospitals as a critical component of the health care sector.

The webinar will highlight data trends in compensation and employment trends, workplace safety, and input and service provision prices. The event will end with a panel discussion on topics such as employment projections, AI usage in Hospitals, Mergers & Acquisitions activity and how they relate to pricing and quality of care.

Whether you are a data user, healthcare professional, or researcher, this webinar will equip you with practical knowledge on factors influencing the hospital industry using BLS data. 

Event Information

  • When: Thursday, May 14th, 2026
  • Where: Virtual via Microsoft Teams Webinar
  • Time: 10:00am–11:45pm Central Time
  • Cost: FREE
  • Registration website address:  Click here to register  

About BLS

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and prices changes in the economy. Its mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate economic information to support public and private decision-making.

Economic indicators published by BLS provide a major source of data used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Since the mid-1980s, BLS’ Employment Cost Index (ECI) has been used by CMS to determine the annual adjustment to Medicare reimbursements for health care service providers. The ECI measures the change in labor costs which CMS uses to determine annual adjustments to Medicare reimbursements made to health care providers in nine payment categories, resulting in an over $9 billion reimbursement increase for 2024.

The CMS uses additional BLS data to update reimbursement rates. Combined with the ECI indicator, the Producer Price Index (PPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) BLS indicators comprise 99 percent of the “hospital market basket” that is used to adjust Medicare reimbursements to medical care providers every year. These modifications move approximately $300 billion in payments annually.

Agenda

  • 10:00 am - 10:05 am: Welcome and Introductions
  • 10:05 am - 10:35 am: Healthcare Compensation and Employment
  • 10:35 am - 11:05 am: Prices in Healthcare: Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index
  • 11:05 am - 11:35 am: Panel
  • 11:35 am - 11:45 am: Closing Remarks and Q&A

Contact Information

For questions, contact the BLS Southwest Information Office at (972) 850-4800 or contact the Southwest Information Office.

Register today to join us Thursday, May 14th, 2026. We look forward to having you attend the event!

Feel free to forward this invitation to staff or colleagues who may be interested.