Kansas City hospitals struggle to maintain roles as safety nets

Treating patients who can't afford their care is expected to cost Truman Medical Center an extra $6 million this fiscal year, and the surge is putting the bottom line of Kansas City's safety-net hospital in jeopardy. Truman Medical Centers provides about a third of the uncompensated care in the Kansas City area, said John Bluford, Truman's CEO. Bluford is anticipating that the Truman system will break even this year, but unless the economy improves or healthcare reform starts covering the uninsured, his hospitals may soon face red ink.