The outside of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center is seen in a file photo.
Times Leader file photo
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Geisinger Wyoming Valley posted the highest “Total margin” — total revenue less total costs — among all General Acute Care (GAC) hospitals in northeast region of the state, acccording to a new report from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
The independent agency annually compare GAC total margins (including non-patient related services such as shops and cafeterias) operating margins (spending on patient care) and “uncompensated care,” meaning bad debt or charity care. The numbers are compiled to give a broad picture of hospital financial health.
The new report issued Wednesday morning covered the 2018-19 fiscal year, though it notes a small number of hospitals statewide run their fiscal year on a calendar year, from January through December rather than July through June.
The council reports data at the state level, but also breaks the state into nine regions. Luzerne County is part of region six, which also covers Bradford, Wayne, Pike, Lackawanna, Monroe, Susquehanna, Wyoming and Sullivan counties
Statewide, the operating margin was 6.11% while the total margin was 7.15%. The region 6 operating margin was lower, at 5.79%, but the total margin was more than 2 points higher at 9.76%.
Of the 15 GAC hospitals reviewed in region 6, Geisinger Wyoming Valley topped the list in both. Operating margin was 18.28% and total margin was 19.47%.
Luzerne County’s two other GAC hospitals on the liste posted postive margins but considerably lower. Wilkes-Barre General had an operating margin of 1.14% and and a total margin of 0.67%. At Lehigh Valley Hazleton, the respective margins were 3.64% and 9.38%.
Other area hospitals reported operating and total margins, respectively: Geisinger Community, -.068% and 0.41%; Moses Taylor, 1.82% and 1.06%; Regional Scranton, 1.04% and 0.61%.
State-wide, uncompensaged care made of 1.72% of all costs, and region 6 was close to that at 1.79%. Two of Luzerne County’s three hospitals were below both rates. Geisinger Wyoming Valley’s uncompensated care was 1.07%, while Wilkes-Barre General was at 1.18%. Lehigh Valley Hazleton had the highest local rate at 3.66%.
Overall, acccording to the report, for the period studied (2018-19), GAC hospitals statewide saw uncompensated care increase 9.3% from the previouis year, from $750 million to $820 million.