Summary：**Panel warns of soaring diagnostic test costs, patients face rising out‑of‑pocket burden****Introdu

**Panel warns of soaring diagnostic test costs,‑of‑ patients face rising out‑of‑pocket burden**

**Introduction**
A national health‑policy panel issued a stark warning this week: the price of routine diagnostic tests is climbing faster than inflation, leaving many Americans shouldering a heavier out‑of‑pocket load. The report, based on data from private insurers and Medicare claims, highlights a trend that could widen gaps in access to care unless policymakers intervene.

**Key Developments**
- **Price spikes:** Between 2021 and 2024, the average cost of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan rose 22 %, while computed tomography (CT) scans increased 18 %. Simple blood panels saw a 12 % uptick.
- **Insurance shifts:** More high‑deductible health plans now require patients to meet deductibles before coverage kicks in for imaging, pushing the initial expense directly onto consumers.
- **Legislative response:** The panel urged Congress to consider price‑transparency mandates and to expand preventive‑care exemptions that would waive cost‑sharing for certain screenings.
- **Provider reaction:** Hospital associations acknowledged the cost pressures, citing rising equipment maintenance, software licensing, and labor expenses as drivers behind the hikes.

**Industry Analysis**
Analysts point to a confluence of factors fueling the surge. First, technological advancements—such as higher‑field MRI machines and AI‑assisted image interpretation—carry substantial capital costs that providers recoup through higher service fees. Second, consolidation in the imaging sector has reduced competition in many metropolitan areas, allowing larger chains to set prices with less market pushback. Third, the shift toward value‑based purchasing has not yet translated into lower prices for diagnostics; instead, insurers often pass through costs to enrollees under the guise of “cost‑sharing.”

The panel’s data