Hospitals

From 1996 to 2004, emergency departments experienced decreasing reimbursement rates for outpatient care from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers, a trend that poses significant challenges to EDs' survival, according to a study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Researchers found that charges for care rose faster than payments, especially among insured patients. In addition, the authors noted that reimbursement rates were lowest from Medicaid.

The study recommends a greater emphasis on ensuring that hospitals and EDs remain financially sustainable, especially as increasing numbers of uninsured residents could provide additional pressure in coming years (Hsia et al., Annals of Emergency Medicine, November 2007).