Medicaid expansion slashed uncompensated care costs for hospitals

The expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in 28 states and the District of Columbia was the driving force behind a significant drop in the cost of uncompensated care last year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Overall, the cost of caring for the uninsured dropped 21 percent, or $7.4 billion, last year, with the Medicare expansion states accounting for $5 billion in savings and the non-expansion states accounting for $2.4 billion. This data indicates that states that chose not to expand Medicaid put a heavier financial burden on hospitals and missed out on potential cost savings, according to HHS. Along the same lines, another HHS report projected that Medicaid expansion in the remaining states could lead to significant economic growth and added jobs. Read the full article at FierceHealthFinance