Two of the nation's largest hospital systems recorded higher uncompensated care costs in 2017 than last year, according to an analysis published in Forbes.
HCA Healthcare in Nashville, Tenn., reported its uncompensated care costs, including bad debt and charity care, are increasing at a faster rate this year compared to last year. During HCA's second quarter earnings call, HCA CFO William Rutherford said the 177-hospital system is "seeing roughly a 4 percent to 5 percent growth in uninsured admissions. That's a little higher than we ran in the last half of 2016 and first quarter."
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare said it also saw uncompensated care costs rise after falling from 2015 to 2016, the report states. Tenet CFO Daniel Cancelmi said during the system's second quarter earnings call, "In our hospitals, volumes have been softer than anticipated and an increase in uninsured revenue has resulted in upward pressure on uncompensated care expense."
The increases come as the U.S. recorded an uninsured rate of 8.8 percent in the first three months of 2017, according to CDC.
For the full analysis, click here.