Oregon hospitals’ profits up, charity care costs down in 2015

A new report released by the Oregon Health Authority shows Oregon hospitals have the healthiest profit margins since at least 2006. Part of the reason: More people covered by insurance means fewer people need to rely on hospitals’ charity care.

The proportion of Oregon’s uninsured population dropped from 14.5 percent in 2013 to 5.3 percent in 2015, according to state data. This resulted in a 40 percent drop in charity care and a 38 percent decline in bad debts for hospitals for fiscal year 2015.

“The Affordable Care Act has been very beneficial to Oregon, increased insurance across the board and hospitals been a clear beneficiary,” Steve Ranzoni, a research analyst at the Oregon Health Authority told the Portland Business Journal.

Meanwhile, statewide net patient revenue climbed to $10,510, a 74 percent increase over the past decade. That has prompted consumer advocates to ask whether it’s time for hospitals to give patients a break by lowering costs.

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