The financial performance of selected investor-owned and not-for-profit system hospitals before and after Medicare prospective payment

Abstract

This article analyzes determinants of cost and profitability, including the influence of Medicare prospective payment (PPS), between 1983 and 1985 for nearly 300 hospitals belonging to investor-owned (IO) and not-for-profit (NFP) systems. Using approaches that assure comparability of financial data, and including case mix, quality, competition, and regulation measures, the findings indicate that (1) in both years, competitive environment, case mix, age of facility, and scope of diversified services were important determinants of average cost, while a process measure of quality was insignificant and the independent effect of ownership type was insignificant for cost; (2) effects of HMO competition and hospital strategy were stronger in 1985 than in 1983; (3) operating margins for all types of hospitals showed increases, with a somewhat greater improvement for NFP system members; and (4) significantly greater declines in volume of care occurred for IO system members. Implications for future research are discussed.