Arkansas Community Hospital Financial Indicators
| Year | Total Inpatient Charges | Total Outpatient Charges | Total Patient Charges | Uncollected Bad Debts |
| 1986 | 1,194,963,109 | 213,310,932 | 1,408,274,041 | 99,454,411 |
| 1987 | 1,300,146,307 | 270,939,929 | 1,571,086,236 | 81,107,533 |
| 1988 | 1,491,360,279 | 340,378,548 | 1,831,738,827 | 98,109,823 |
| 1989 | 1,700,596,126 | 428,431,429 | 2,129,027,555 | 117,482,546 |
| 1990 | 2,041,275,640 | 548,258,433 | 2,589,534,073 | 125,031,048 |
| 1991 | 2,307,622,750 | 682,801,370 | 2,990,424,120 | 163,592,104 |
| 1992 | 2,551,582,773 | 862,633,587 | 3,414,216,360 | 184,749,580 |
| 1993 | 2,722,861,890 | 1,018,020,045 | 3,740,881,935 | 212,858,139 |
| 1994 | 2,780,850,665 | 1,136,369,830 | 3,917,220,495 | 236,455,744 |
| 1995 | 2,931,380,789 | 1,333,350,521 | 4,264,731,310 | 303,897,568 |
| 1996 | 3,135,474,445 | 1,537,088,806 | 4,672,563,251 | 395,978,531 |
| 1997 | 3,292,550,631 | 1,732,174,525 | 5,015,725,156 | 282,840,657 |
| Total % Increase | 175.5% | 707.8% | 256.2% | 185.4% |
| Year | Charity Care Provided | Total Uncollected Charges | Total Payments Received | Total Operating Costs |
| 1986 | 19,867,102 | 320,716,376 | 1,087,557,665 | 1,101,235,640 |
| 1987 | 27,359,296 | 401,400,280 | 1,169,685,956 | 1,152,007,338 |
| 1988 | 37,827,847 | 524,215,948 | 1,307,522,879 | 1,277,295,461 |
| 1989 | 42,116,634 | 665,232,712 | 1,463,794,843 | 1,478,566,201 |
| 1990 | 61,275,220 | 898,904,774 | 1,690,629,299 | 1,685,046,599 |
| 1991 | 76,279,409 | 1,123,331,907 | 1,867,092,213 | 1,825,573,820 |
| 1992 | 71,188,541 | 1,313,426,376 | 2,100,789,984 | 2,078,393,611 |
| 1993 | 82,595,281 | 1,494,233,248 | 2,246,648,687 | 2,229,491,032 |
| 1994 | 111,093,357 | 1,633,278,763 | 2,283,941,732 | 2,244,921,469 |
| 1995 | 112,503,190 | 1,896,870,528 | 2,367,860,782 | 2,304,500,580 |
| 1996 | 124,720,073 | 2,103,205,279 | 2,569,357,972 | 2,514,053,912 |
| 1997 | 159,408,747 | 2,302,373,072 | 2,713,352,084 | 2,583,850,005 |
| Total % Increase | 702.4% | 617.9% | 149.5% | 134.6% |
Source: American Hospital Association
The gap between charges for hospital services and actual payments received has widened over the past 11 years. Gross patient revenues (the amount of billed charges) rose from $1.94 billion in 1986 to $5 billion in 1997, posting a 256.2% overall increase. Net patient revenues, however, rose only 149% for the period. The difference in what is charged and what is received is known as unreimbursed care and is generally uncollectable by hospitals. That figure ballooned 618% over the period, rising from $320 million to $2.3 billion. In 1997, more than 45% of the average hospital bill remained uncollectable. That rate is expected to increase more quickly between 1998 and 2002 as Arkansas hospitals begin to see their Medicare revenues fall dramatically as a result of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.