U.S. hospitals of all types reported about $620 billion in uncompensated care costs from 2000 through 2017, according to the American Hospital Association's annual survey of hospitals.
Uncompensated care refers to care hospitals provided for which they did not receive reimbursement.
In the survey, uncompensated care costs represent the estimated cost of bad debt and charity care to hospitals. Researchers determined the cost by multiplying uncompensated care charge data by the ratio of total expenses to gross patient and other operating revenues. The figures do not include Medicaid or Medicare underpayment costs or other contractual allowances. The figures also don't factor in hospitals that primarily receive income from tax appropriations, grants and contributions.
Here are hospitals' annual uncompensated care costs, according to the AHA survey.
2000 — $21.6 billion (5,012 hospitals)
2001 — $21.5 billion (4,986 hospitals)
2002 — $22.4 billion (5,020 hospitals)
2003 — $24.9 billion (5,018 hospitals)
2004 — $27 billion (5,104 hospitals)
2005 — $29.3 billion (5,374 hospitals)
2006 — $31.6 billion (5,350 hospitals)
2007 — $34.4 billion (5,322 hospitals)
2008 — $36.8 billion (5,396 hospitals)
2009 — $39.5 billion (5,362 hospitals)
2010 — $39.8 billion (5,371 hospitals)
2011 — $41.6 billion (5,376 hospitals)
2012 — $46.3 billion (5,367 hospitals)
2013 — $46.8 billion (5,359 hospitals)
2014 — $43.2 billion (5,308 hospitals)
2015 — $36.1 billion (5,280 hospitals)
2016 — $38.4 billion (5,267 hospitals)
2017 — $38.4 billion (5,262 hospitals)
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