Costs for the 58 community hospitals reached $7.5 billion last year, or an average of $2,800 per patient per day, driven by factors such as investment losses, increases in charity care and expansion debts.
The hospitals’ operating margins fell from 6 percent of revenue and investment income in 2004 to 1 percent in 2008.
With unemployment in the state at 11 percent, hospitals have had to rely on a smaller pool of commercially insured patients to offset losses from charity care and unpaid bills.
Read the Examiner’s report on Oregon hospital expenses.
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