An aerial view from 2013 shows the Butler Memorial Hospital campus. Hospital administration reports that the hospital's biggest challenge is smaller reimbursements from Medicare as the population grows older and drops private insurance in favor of federal coverage.

An aging population is causing some difficulties for Butler Health System, but its financial metrics stayed strong in 2018, an annual report showed.

During the hospital system's annual public meeting Thursday night, Ken DeFurio, president and CEO, said the biggest challenge the hospital system faces is shrinking Medicare reimbursement revenues.

During the meeting Dr. Thomas McGill, vice president of quality and patient safety, gave an overview of health statistics for the county and BHS's patients.

There are two major health concerns at least somewhat specific to our area, he said: opioids and lung cancer.

This is an excerpt — read more about BHS's year in Sunday's Butler Eagle.