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Rock County hospitals report $59M in uncompensated care as financial pressures grow

Rock County hospitals reported more than $59 million in uncompensated care in 2025, with unpaid medical bills accounting for the overwhelming majority of those costs as health care providers grapple with rising expenses and patients’ increasing difficulty paying for treatment. The county’s four hospitals reported a combined $59.1 million in uncompensated care charges, including $50.2 million in bad debt and $8.9 million in charity care, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Uncompensated care generally falls into two categories: charity care, which hospitals provide to patients who cannot afford treatment, and bad debt, which represents bills hospitals expect to collect but ultimately cannot. Bad debt accounted for approximately 85% of the county’s uncompensated care, significantly higher than the roughly 49% reported statewide. Financial executives at Beloit Health System and Edgerton Hospital say high insurance deductibles and difficulties qualifying patients for financial assistance contribute to unpaid medical bills. Separate financial pressures include inadequate reimbursement from government insurance programs and rising operating expenses. The financial consequences extend beyond unpaid bills, potentially affecting hospital investments, staffing and the availability of medical services. “If you have uncompensated care, it’s got to be made up somewhere,” said Edgerton Hospital chief financial officer Dane Wheeler. “And right

Rock County, WI · 6h