Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health posted an operating loss of $181.5 million in the year that ended June 30, an improvement over last year’s $208 million loss. In both years, the loss was concentrated in Jefferson’s insurance business.
The fiscal 2026 results, reported to bondholders Friday, included $112 million in costs for layoffs and other moves designed to put the Philadelphia region’s largest health system on firmer financial ground.
Jefferson highlighted in its preliminary report to investors that results improved each quarter of fiscal 2026 — from an operating loss of $103.8 million in the first quarter to a $71.1 million operating profit in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve made significant progress strengthening Jefferson’s financial performance, yet those gains are increasingly threatened by the actions of commercial insurers in Pennsylvania,” Jefferson’s chief financial officer, Michael Harrington, said in an email.
Jefferson sued Independence Blue Cross last month over policy changes that the health system says amount to back-door price cuts.
“Despite already paying some of the lowest reimbursement rates in the nation, certain payers are now attempting to unilaterally rewrite or reinterpret existing contract terms to further reduce payments and improve their own margins at the expense of providers and the patients they serve,” he said.
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Separately, Jefferson sued Aetna in April over a policy that reduces payments for hospital stays for Medicare Advantage patients that Aetna decides aren’t sick enough to qualify for full payment.
Insurers are under pressure from employers to slow health care expense growth. Independence said in response to the lawsuit that it acts in the best interest of its customers. Aetna said its policies comply with federal laws and regulations.
Here are more details on Jefferson’s results:
Revenue: Jefferson’s revenue reached $17.7 billion, up from $15.8 billion the year before. Fiscal 2025 included just 11 months of Lehigh Valley Health Network results. Jefferson completed that acquisition on Aug. 1, 2024, expanding its reach into Northeastern Pennsylvania and giving the nonprofit more than 30 hospitals.
Jefferson Health Plans: Jefferson’s insurance arm had a $130.3 million loss in fiscal 2026, an improvement over a $169.9 million loss the year before. The insurance arm had 415,172 members on June 30, up from 366,780 the year before. The plan is diversifying away from Medicaid as it increases enrollment in Medicare Advantage and the Affordable Care Act markets. The percentage of membership in Medicaid fell to 75% this year from 87% last year.
Notable: The fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 was Jefferson’s first profitable quarter in at least four years, according to Inquirer calculations that exclude investment income. Unlike other local health systems, Jefferson follows accounting rules for higher education, allowing it to include a portion of investment income in revenue.
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