How are Vermont hospitals doing financially?

14 of 15 Vermont hospitals (93%) reported a loss on patient care in their latest full-year Medicare cost report, compared with 55% nationwide. The median operating margin was -20.7%, 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.

Vermont hospitals reported $27.6 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 Fletcher Allen Hospital of Vermont ($13.6 million), Rutland Regional Medical Center ($4.2 million), North Country Hospital and Health Center ($2.0 million), Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital ($1.8 million), Southwestern Vermont Medical Center ($1.7 million).

Vermont ranks 50 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 (93% vs 55%).

Fletcher Allen Hospital of Vermont in Burlington reported the most net patient revenue: $1.8 billion in its latest full-year cost report, with 65 beds and an operating margin of -29.3%.

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.