U.S. Hospitals Face Financial Losses Early in 2026
美國醫院在 2026 年初面臨財務虧損
U.S. hospitals are navigating a precarious financial landscape as 2026 begins.
隨著2026年到來，美國的醫院正處於岌岌可危的財務困境中。
While total expenses dropped slightly, they were outpaced by a 2.3% decrease in gross operating revenue, with outpatient services hit particularly hard.
儘管總支出略有下降，但由於總營業收入下降了2.3%，尤其是門診服務受創嚴重，導致支出增幅大於收入。
A major contributor to this instability is the ballooning cost of non-labor expenses, such as pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, which have surged over 13% since 2023.
造成這種不穩定狀態的主要因素之一，是非人力成本（如藥品和醫療用品）的暴增，自2023年以來這些成本已飆升超過13%。
Additionally, hospitals face a staggering administrative burden, spending $43 billion annually to navigate complex billing and insurance denials.
此外，醫院面臨著驚人的行政負擔，每年花費430億美元來處理複雜的計費和保險拒賠問題。
Operational pressures—ranging from the high costs of treating sicker patients to stiff competition for staff—are compounded by policy uncertainty regarding Medicaid funding and new reimbursement rules.
營運壓力——從治療病情更重患者的高昂成本，到人力資源的激烈競爭——再加上有關醫療補助（Medicaid）資金和新報銷規則的政策不確定性，使情況更加惡化。
In response, hospital leadership is increasingly turning to AI-driven analytics to improve efficiency.
對此，醫院領導層越來越多地轉向利用人工智慧分析來提高效率。
As CFOs express deep concern, the industry must balance necessary cost-cutting measures with the urgent need to maintain access to care, particularly in vulnerable and rural communities.
隨著財務長們表達了深切的擔憂，該產業必須在必要的削減成本措施與維持照護服務的可及性（尤其是在弱勢和偏鄉社區）之間取得平衡。
