While the overall trend of rising healthcare costs continues, the rate at which those costs are increasing is slowing down, according to the Standard and Poors (S&P) Healthcare Economic Index, according to company officials.

The most recent S&P Healthcare Economic Index, which measures changes in accrued revenue among hospitals and healthcare facilities, calculated medical revenues through March. Only services provided to those patients covered under Medicare and commercial health insurance are counted toward the company's findings.

"The annual growth rates in healthcare claim costs remain positive, but with declining rates," said chairman of the index committee at S&P David M. Blitzer.

The news comes amidst reports that employers will see hikes in medical costs next year.

According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, many companies will see significant increases in group health insurance premiums in 2012, which may in turn cause several of them to pass the costs along to their employees in the form of pricey in-network deductibles.

It is projected that the proportion of companies that offer health insurance plans with deductibles greater or equal to $400 for in-network services will reach 54 percent next year, according to the news source.