AHA infographic: Medicare underpayments to hospitals nearly $100 billion in 2022

Medicare paid hospitals a record low 82 cents for every dollar they spent caring for Medicare patients in 2022, according to a new AHA infographic. Two thirds of hospitals had negative Medicare margins that year.

“Medicare’s consistent underpayment for the care of our seniors is leaving hospitals and health systems, which depend on public payers like Medicare and Medicaid, in an untenable position,” the infographic says. “Ninety-four percent of hospitals have half or more of their inpatient days paid by these public payers. Without action from policymakers to address this crisis of government underpayment to hospitals and health systems, access to care for patients and communities will be severely threatened.” LEARN MORE