A poor fourth-quarter earnings report from Community Health Systems has some analysts and researchers blaming high-deductible health care plans, saying that the plans’ projected prevalence could have larger implications for the sector.
Community Health cited significant bad debt for its weak performance in the latest quarter, which included a 2.4% drop in revenue. The company also named a $169 million increase in its allowance for doubtful accounts—meaning unpaid patient copays or deductibles—which cut into the bottom line by as much.
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