As reported in HealthDecisions.org today, Spectrum Health and other West Michigan hospitals, faced with inadequate payments from Medicare and Medicaid, are planning rate increases to offset those losses. Spectrum expects to lose nearly $110 million caring for Medicare and Medicaid patients in the fiscal year beginning July 1. As a result, Spectrum plans to raise rates it charges patients at Butterworth, Blodgett and DeVos Children’s hospitals an average of 7.25 percent. Partly due to Spectrum’s rate increase, Priority Health, an HMO owned by Spectrum, plan to raise the premium it charges members an average of 6.5 percent.
Hospitals to increase rates to cover losses, HealthDecisions.org, 6/26
