Hospitals in states that expand their Medicaid programs under provisions of the Affordable Care Act should see a reduction in their uncompensated care once people begin applying for Medicaid benefits.
That will not be happening in Pennsylvania, however, because the state is not expanding eligibility for its Medicaid program.
In states that do expand their programs, hospitals will continue to lose money serving Medicaid patients because Medicaid payments seldom cover the cost of the services hospitals provide. Demand for Medicaid services will grow in these states, moreover, as more people become eligible for benefits and some who have not had regular access to care for years begin to use their new benefits to address long-standing medical problems.
Recent published reports suggest that the Corbett administration is working on an expansion plan, to be negotiated with the federal government, and that this plan may be revealed to the public this fall.
Michigan became the most recent state to decide to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act and expand its Medicaid program. For a look at how Medicaid expansion will affect hospitals in that state, see this Detroit Free Press article.