Texas hospitals strive to provide the best care to their patients and meet the health care needs of their communities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Fair, stable and adequate payment is key to meeting this mission. Hospitals operate under unique economic, legal and regulatory circumstances. They need revenue to provide necessary health care services, but payment often fails to cover the full cost of care provided. And, by law, they must treat anyone who seeks care in their emergency departments, regardless of a patient’s insurance status or ability to pay.
With a growing aging population and advances in medical science, hospitals will remain an essential part of communities’ infrastructure. Understanding hospital financing is a key part of being an advocate not only for Texas hospitals but for patients as well. The Texas Hospital Association’s educational series on hospital financing breaks down the complex ways in which hospitals are paid.