HCA Stock Drops as Pressure From Uninsured Patients Mounts -- WSJ
Dow Jones2026/10/27 17:55By Peter Loftus
Shares of HCA dropped 4% after the U.S. hospital operator signaled earnings would stay flat in 2027, citing headwinds including an uptick in uninsured patients.
HCA and other hospitals have been seeing an increase in uninsured patient volume this year because of the expiration of federal subsidies for Affordable Care Act exchange health plans. Many people dropped the plans because they couldn't afford it.
An uptick in uninsured patient volume reduced HCA's quarterly pretax profit by $400 million. The company reported $2.37 billion in pretax income for the third quarter.
HCA Chief Executive Sam Hazen said on an earnings call Tuesday that the sheer number of people dropping ACA plans would remain a drag on the company next year. HCA also expects to receive lower Medicaid payments from states in 2027.
Mizuho Securities analysts said in a research note that HCA's "admissions volume trends remain healthy," but "pressure from exchange-related payer mix deterioration and weaker surgical volumes continue to weigh on results."
This item is part of a Wall Street Journal live coverage event. The full stream can be found by searching P/WSJL (WSJ Live Coverage).
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 27, 2026 13:55 ET (17:55 GMT)
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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