Hospital bad debt and charity care are rising, according to a new report.
Both are up five percent from October of 2024 to October of 2025 – and 40 percent greater than in 2022.
Among the causes are natural demographic changes and post-COVID Medicaid redeterminations, the latter of which is leaving many low-income Americans without health insurance.
The impact of rising bad debt and charity care are being felt most in the western U.S.
And one bright spot: charity care and bad debt as a percentage of hospital gross revenue fell two percent between October of 2024 and October of this year.
Learn more about rising hospital bad debt and charity care from the Becker’s Hospital Review story “Hospital bad debt, charity care up 10% in 2025.”