From Health Plan Week - Despite the still sluggish economy and low admission rates, publicly traded hospitals maintained their profitability in 2011. But continued low patient volume, combined with growing enrollment in low-paying government programs, could give hospitals more incentive to pressure insurers for higher reimbursements during contract negotiations. Michael Waterhouse, an equity analyst at Morningstar, Inc., says patient volume among the hospitals he tracks is improving, but says it isn’t likely to surge this year. Read more