HMA report examines COVID-19 toll on Pennsylvania hospitals
May 11, 2020
A report completed by HMA colleagues estimated the potential financial impact on hospitals and health systems of the current COVID-19 pandemic in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The analysis, completed in mid-April, concluded that Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems are likely to experience losses in excess of $7 billion for the final 10 months of 2020 after accounting for federal disaster relief payments, based on emergency relief legislation that had been passed at the time. HMA Principal Tom Marks and Senior Consultant Mary Goddeeris completed the report, Analysis of the Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Pennsylvania Hospitals, on behalf of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). HMA conducted interviews and collected data from finance officials at a sample of health systems and projected the findings across the population of Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems. The interviews and analysis were completed in mid-April, well before the full effect of the pandemic could be measured. Financial leaders consistently reported enormous declines in patient service from mid-March to mid-April due to the cancellation and deferral of non-emergency services. While there are varying assumptions about the return of pre-pandemic patient service volumes, all leaders projected a bleak forecast for the second quarter and continued negative impact of service disruption for the rest of 2020.
Learn more about HMA’s multi-faceted COVID-19 response.