I only read the headlines

RaceBannon

WA hospitals start cutting services as huge financial losses continue
Deficits continue to hit Washington hospitals hard, totaling more than $1.6 billion in the first nine months of 2023.


Any thoughts on why this would be?

hardhat

I'm gonna wait until the fact checkers weigh in with their fact checking.

Bendintheriver

My guess: They spent the billions given them by covid on frivolous things and without that continual influx of millions from heaven they are losing their asses.

RaceBannon

I also think they lost a lot of patients when they focused solely on covid and let folks die or get used to not going to the doctor for a hangnail

And for being part of the big lie about the vax

PurpleThrobber

RaceBannon said:

I also think they lost a lot of patients when they focused solely on covid and let folks die or get used to not going to the doctor for a hangnail

And for being part of the big lie about the vax

You have to wonder what else they've been lying about over the years in the name of 'health' profits.

Bob_C

The state helped cripple businesses and workers during the pandemic, which pushed people into Medicaid, which pays out less to the hospitals vs traditional insurance which they could no longer afford or get through employer.

Hospitals paid a shit ton of OT to nurses because of labor shortage caused by vaccine mandates.

And the shit Race said.

pawz

PurpleThrobber said:

RaceBannon said:

I also think they lost a lot of patients when they focused solely on covid and let folks die or get used to not going to the doctor for a hangnail

And for being part of the big lie about the vax

You have to wonder what else they've been lying about over the years in the name of 'health' profits.

All of it.

WestlinnDuck

I like the analogy to public education. Very little growth in the producers, teachers and doctors, and an explosion in administrators and government regulation. Of course, this does result in sh*tty education and a decline in the quality of health care.

THE DAILY CHART: THE HEALTH CARE ADMIN BLOB
If you see a chart that aggregates long-term inflation trends by sector, you will know that the two sectors that have seen the highest cost increases over the last 30 years are health care and higher education. What do these two sector have in common? Both are dominated by government spending and regulations (especially subsidize student loans for higher ed). In other words, market forces that might discipline both sectors were obliterated. Last week we noted the bloat in K-12 administration, but that’s nuthin’ compared to administrative bloat in health care:

jecornel

Some of if not most of what doctors tell you to do for your health is piss poor advice. Especially for kids. Most often they just say take this pill for the rest of your life. Medical tyranny is in no one’s best interest. If my doctor told me to get the covid vaccine I wouldn’t go back to that doc.
Big pharma is building out teams of sales people to push the vax. Disgusting.

Kaepsknee

RaceBannon said:

WA hospitals start cutting services as huge financial losses continue
Deficits continue to hit Washington hospitals hard, totaling more than $1.6 billion in the first nine months of 2023.


Any thoughts on why this would be?

3 words.

Traveling Contract Caregivers.

Due to burnout and vax mandates, permanent hospital staff went away. And not just a handful.

And to fill those holes, Hospitals needed to go the Traveling nurse route. They earn close to twice what the departed care giver earns, and cost the Hospital over 3 times that amount due to them coming from agencies.

Goduckies

Bob_C said:

The state helped cripple businesses and workers during the pandemic, which pushed people into Medicaid, which pays out less to the hospitals vs traditional insurance which they could no longer afford or get through employer.

Hospitals paid a shit ton of OT to nurses because of labor shortage caused by vaccine mandates.

And the shit Race said.

Exactly and tracel nurses who weren't required tp get the shot, but got paid double plus what the placing agency made.... that's why.

Goduckies

Kaepsknee said:

RaceBannon said:

WA hospitals start cutting services as huge financial losses continue
Deficits continue to hit Washington hospitals hard, totaling more than $1.6 billion in the first nine months of 2023.


Any thoughts on why this would be?

3 words.

Traveling Contract Caregivers.

Due to burnout and vax mandates, permanent hospital staff went away. And not just a handful.

And to fill those holes, Hospitals needed to go the Traveling nurse route. They earn close to twice what the departed care giver earns, and cost the Hospital over 3 times that amount due to them coming from agencies.

Yup.... posted my response before i saw yours... talk about a balloon to the budget. Also those nurses get per diem and room and board covered. Great gig.