In 2015, the nation’s seven largest hospitals took in $33.9 billion in revenue. That reflected a 15 percent increase in the first two years that Obamacare was in effect. Politico reports that "Obamacare may have been a mixed blessing for those seeking coverage . . . but it’s been a clear boon for the nation’s hospitals."
Over a slightly longer time frame, the results are even more pronounced. In 2008, the year Barack Obama was elected president and pledged to overhaul the healthcare system, the hospital industry’s profit margin was 2.6 percent. In 2015, the profit margin was more than three times larger at 8.3 percent.
Politico notes that "hospitals are required to provide community benefits in order to keep tax exemptions that, collectively, are worth billions of dollars." However, while revenues have gone up since the passage of the healthcare bill, the free services offered to low-income patients declined from $414 million in 2013 to $272 million in 2015.
Data is not yet available for 2016.
Tim Carney of the Washington Examiner notes that many media outlets report on the Hospital Association’s opposition to repeal as if it’s coming from a medical authority. He suggests that it might be better to identify the group as a lobbying organization that benefits from the existing law.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia. Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
Scott Rasmussen is a Senior Fellow for the Study of Self-Governance at the King’s College in New York and an Editor-At-Large for Ballotpedia, the Encyclopedia of American Politics. His most recent book, "Politics Has Failed: America Will Not," was published by the Sutherland Institute in May.To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.
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