Uncompensated Care Increases in WI

Uncompensated care at Wisconsin hospitals increased 6% in 2023 to $1.36 billion, reports Wisconsin Public Radio. Bad debt, where patients cannot pay but do not seek financial aid, accounted for $731.6 million, while charity care rose nearly 8%. The end of pandemic-era Medicaid enrollment policies left more residents uninsured or underinsured. However, hospitals report that even insured patients are struggling with affording care due to high deductibles, intensifying financial pressures on the health system.