Flu season can be windfall for hospitals, hardship for health plans

The flu bug that hit the nation earlier this year is showing up when it comes to first-quarter financial results. For hospitals, more patients coming into their doors should mean more revenues and more earnings if they were able to keep costs under check. But any windfall depends on how severe the flu bug was that hit the parts of the country. Health plans, however, have seen their costs rise from the increased hospital visits.