Uncompensated care increased in fiscal year 2020 for Wisconsin hospitals and is expected to continue rising in 2021, according to an annual "Uncompensated Health Care Report" by the Wisconsin Hospital Association released in November.
The report includes data from 150 hospitals.
The increase has been a continuing trend since 2016, Wisconsin Public Radio reported Nov. 16.
Nine things to know:
1. Wisconsin hospitals gave $1.4 billion in uncompensated services in fiscal year 2020.
2. This number includes $620.8 million in charity care and $742.7 million in bad debt.
3. General medical-surgical hospitals gave $602.1 million in charity care and had $735.4 million in bad debt.
4. Specialty facilities reported $18.7 million in charity care and $7.3 million in bad debt.
5. Uncompensated care rose by 3.8 percent at all Wisconsin hospitals.
6. Uncompensated care rose by 4.7 percent among general medical-surgical hospitals and decreased by 26.9 percent among specialty facilities.
7. In fiscal year 2020, 150 hospitals in Wisconsin provided uncompensated care for almost 1.7 million patient visits.
8. Wisconsin hospitals expect an increase of 16.1 percent ($218.9 million) in uncompensated care for fiscal year 2021.
9. They project an increase in charity care of 15.8 percent ($98.4 million) in fiscal year 2021, and an increase in bad debt of 16.2 percent ($120.5 million).