Summary
Authors studied the association between the size and growth of Latino populations and hospitals' uncompensated care in California and found a significant association between the growth of California's Latino population and hospitals' uncompensated care in the unadjusted regression. This association was still significant after the authors controlled for hospital and community population characteristics. Adding market characteristics into the final model, this relationship became nonsignificant.
Study findings suggest that systematic support is needed in areas with rapid Latino population growth to control hospitals' uncompensated care, especially if Latinos are excluded from or do not respond to the insurance options made available through the Affordable Care Act. Improving availability of resources for hospitals and providers in areas with high Latino population growth could help alleviate financial pressures.