NJ hospitals spent less to treat uninsured last year, but reported amounts vary

New Jersey hospitals reported spending $33.5 million less to treat the uninsured last year—a first in at least five years—but the amount North Jersey facilities reported varied widely, a report released Wednesday by the state reveals. The data trigger more questions than answers: were fewer patients treated or are the declines in documented care attributed to changes in Medicaid funding or other factors? No clear patterns have emerged, experts say. "A lot of people were expecting either a continued increase or at least a leveling off," said Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd. "The data will cause a lot of confusion and concern. That's why we’re looking at a five-year trend."