How are Montana hospitals doing financially?

47 of 58 Montana hospitals (81%) reported a loss on patient care in their latest full-year Medicare cost report, compared with 55% nationwide. The median operating margin was -6.0%, 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.

Montana hospitals reported $89.9 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 Billings Clinic Hospital ($25.4 million), Bozeman Deaconess Hospital ($11.8 million), St Vincent Healthcare ($11.4 million), St Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center ($6.6 million), St Peter's Hospital ($5.1 million).

Montana ranks 38 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 (81% vs 55%).

Billings Clinic Hospital in Billings reported the most net patient revenue: $923.5 million in its latest full-year cost report, with 320 beds and an operating margin of -21.0%.

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.