How are Idaho hospitals doing financially?

27 of 46 Idaho hospitals (59%) reported a loss on patient care in their latest full-year Medicare cost report, compared with 55% nationwide. The median operating margin was -3.2%, lower than the U.S. median of -1.6%. The operating margin leaves out donations, investment income and grants, so some of these hospitals still end the year in the black.

Idaho hospitals reported $118.1 million in charity care (the cost of free or discounted care for patients who qualify) in their latest full-year reports. The largest amounts came from St Alphonsus Regional Medical Center ($23.4 million), St Lukes Regional Medical Center ($23.4 million), Saint Alphonsus Medical Center - Nampa ($13.5 million), Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center ($12.6 million), St Lukes Magic Valley RMC ($12.4 million).

Idaho ranks 30 of 50 states by the median operating margin of its hospitals (1 = highest). A larger share of its hospitals lost money on patient care than the U.S. as a whole (59% vs 55%).

St Lukes Regional Medical Center in Boise reported the most net patient revenue: $2.5 billion in its latest full-year cost report, with 560 beds and an operating margin of -0.3%.

It is how much a hospital keeps from patient care after paying its operating costs, as a share of its patient revenue. A margin of 5% means the hospital kept 5 cents of every dollar it earned from patients; a negative margin means patient care cost more than it brought in. It excludes donations, investment income and grants.