Rescuing the Safety Net

As the recession deepens, layoffs are swelling the ranks of the uninsured. Despite federal stimulus support for state Medicaid programs, some cash-strapped states have cut Medicaid payments, and others are considering such cuts. As a result, many hospitals that treat large numbers of uninsured patients are struggling to survive.In 2006, well before the recession began, U.S. hospitals provided more than $28.8 billion worth of uncompensated care1 — a burden that fell more heavily on some hospitals than on others. Hospitals that provide a large proportion of their inpatient care to the uninsured are called “safety-net” hospitals. Public safety-net hospitals . . .