September 18, 2026- Healthcare advisory firm Kaufman Hall outlined a calendar year-to-date operating margin index of 1.4% and a single-month operating margin index of 1.1% in its latest monthly benchmark report, according to Fierce Healthcare. Both numbers include health system allocations for shared services costs. These numbers reflect a 3% year-to-date decline compared to the same period in 2025, as well as a substantial 8% operating margin decrease from June to July, likely due to seasonality of elective surgeries, according to the report.
Hospital margins drop in July as outpatient volumes slow – The Journal of Healthcare Contracting