Which of the following has NOT been cited as a cause of rising health care costs?

• A. A shortage of hospital beds
• B. An aging population
• C. Rising drug costs
• D. Administrative costs

Answer: (A)

Understanding what drives rising health care costs involves looking at factors that push overall spending higher, not just resource limits. An aging population increases the number of people needing medical services and long-term care, which raises total spending. Rising drug costs raise the price of prescriptions and can significantly boost expenditures across the system. Administrative costs, including billing, claims processing, and insurer overhead, add a sizable portion to overall expenses. A shortage of hospital beds describes a capacity constraint and does not by itself explain a sustained rise in total costs; it affects access and efficiency, but it isn’t typically cited as a primary driver of increasing health care spending. So the bed shortage is the one not generally cited as a cause of rising costs.