For-Profit Hospital Chains See Financial Boost; Fitch Credits ACA
I have my own thoughts about for-profit health but here's the deal...remember how the teapublicans were all beside themselves claiming that Obamacare was "government takeover of healthcare"?
Here's a reality check for them:
Admitted more Medicaid beneficiaries;
Admitted fewer uninsured patients;
Had an improved overall payer mix;
Improved their operating margins; and
Reduced their bad debt.
According to Fitch, hospitals reduced bad debt by 6% since the end of last year.
In addition, researchers found that for-profit hospital chains decreased admissions in the second quarter of 2014 by less than 1%. However, after adjusting for outpatient care, the hospital chains' admissions in the second quarter increased by 2.2%.
Researchers said that for-profit hospital chains reaped greater benefits from the ACA in states that expanded Medicaid.
http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2014/10/10/forprofit-hospital-chains-see-boost-in-profits-fitch-credits-aca
