The Market Seesaw: The Most Read 2024 OPEN MINDS Organizational Profiles

Hospital expenses rose in 2024 but did not outpace inflation on a volume-adjusted basis. In addition, bad debt and charity care rose in 2024—a change attributed by the study authors to the continued Medicaid redetermination process and an increase in the rate of payer denials.

The question is whether hospitals can continue this post-COVID era recovery. There are a looming set of “mega-issues” presented by the change in administration that could make 2025 a challenging year. Policy changes in the past three weeks include an executive order cutting federal support for gender-affirming care (Some Hospitals . . .