A PROFILE OF UNCOMPENSATED HOSPITAL-CARE, 1983-1995

This DataWatch examines national trends in the provision of uncompensa ted hospital care. It shows that rapid growth from 1983-1986 was follo wed by modest growth through 1990, a time during which managed care wa s becoming established in some regions. There was then another spurt i n uncompensated care from 1991-1993, a period that corresponds to siza ble increases in disproportionate-share payments. Uncompensated care g rowth again slowed through 1995. The increase in uncompensated care le vels after 1988 appears not to have kept pace with growth in hospital expenses or the number of uninsured. However, the trend data do not su ggest a large-scale reduction of effort.