Sticker shock at the hospital. Freed from reins of managed care, hospitals accelerate price hikes for fourth consecutive year; blame placed on staffing, tech costs.

Free from the shackles of managed care, the nation's hospitals boosted prices for the fourth consecutive year, according to a new report released by the government last week. David Cyganowski, left, a managing director at Salomon Smith Barney, says if taxes on dividends are wiped out, hospitals could be confronted with higher long-term interest rates.