Roper’s Strata report shows US health system operating margins recover to 0.7% in June 2026
ROP•Roper published Strata’s H1 2026 report showing US health-system operating margins recovered to 0.7% in June from negative levels early in the year. Drug and supply costs continued to outpace labor, while patient volumes rose.
1. Margins and costs
US health-system operating margins recovered to 0.7% in June 2026 after negative levels early in the year, according to Roper’s Strata H1 report. Drug and supply costs continued to outpace labor, tightening profitability despite rising patient volumes.
2. Shifting volumes
Outpatient migration lifted inpatient acuity. Gynecology inpatient volumes fell 8%, while breast health inpatient volumes rose 17.2%; outpatient visits dropped 7.5% in May as patients deferred elective services. Western hospitals reported supply and labor expenses about 50% higher than other regions.
