While the states debate Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, hospital executives' confidence in their organization’s ability to care for the uninsured varies. According to the HealthLeaders 2012 Industry Survey, 53% of hospital and health system executives rate their organizations as "neutral" or "weak" in their quality or status of dealing with uncompensated care, while 47% rate their organizations as "very strong" or "strong."
In the July issue of HealthLeaders magazine, the Council Connection feature asked executives for further insight into how they rate their organizations, as well as challenges they anticipate when budgeting to care for the uninsured. From a focus on labor management to plans in quality and cost effectiveness, there is no single strategy for hospital leaders anticipating the shrinking reimbursement pie.