�The U.S. for-profit hospital industry recorded another strong performance during the second quarter, with minimal encroachment from the economic lag observed in the sector, according to a reputation by Fitch. In fact, providers reported continued favorable trends in volumes, pricing and regretful debt expense. Although volume growth moderated from the first quarter when the flu time of year was in full effect, the manufacture still recorded positive admissions growth. Community Health Systems, Inc., Tenet Healthcare Corp., and Universal Health Services, Inc. had particularly potent performances during the quarter.
In addition to friendly volumes, uninsured admissions and bad-debt expense have remained steady across the industriousness. Although reported bad-debt expense can be affected by accounting conventions, the figure of uninsured patients that are admitted to the hospital is a undecomposed indicator of the fundamental trends drive bad-debt expense and collections. During the second quarter, every provider except one reported that uninsured admissions either declined or grew more tardily than boilers suit volume increases during the quarter. It appears that the economic environment has not up to now resulted in a significant increase in uncompensated attention for the for-profit hospital industry. Although bad-debt expense has been steady, Fitch notes that there has been growing pressure on select Medicaid programs. However, overall reimbursement remains prosperous in the industry and continues to drive EBITDA growth among providers.
Although the for-profit hospital industriousness had overconfident results during the second quarter, Fitch believes the industry could face a more thought-provoking second half of 2008, especially if the saving continues to weaken. The impact of the economy on the for-profit hospital industry is discussed in more contingent in the special reputation, 'Fitch's For-Profit Hospital Industry Quarterly Diagnosis: Second Quarter 2008.' Fitch too discusses francis Scott Key trends in volumes, bad debt expense and pricing in the news report, which is available on the Fitch Ratings web site at http://www.fitchratings.com.
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