20 / 28
22
» A magazine for and about Oregon Community Hospitals.
CHARITY CARE
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Free and partially discounted care (discounted from the
actual cost, not the charge)
• Unpaid co-pays for Medicaid and low-income patients
• Bad debt
• Discounts provided to self-pay patients who do not qualify for
financial assistance
UNFUNDED PORTION OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Underpayment from Medicaid
• Underpayment from Medicare
• Other government programs: SCHIP, indigent care
• Government programs that are not means-tested, such as VA
and Indian Health Service
COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT SERVICES
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Health fairs (not for marketing purposes)
• Smoking cessation programs
• Transportation for patients & families to access care
• Assistance to enroll in public programs
• Community-based spiritual care and support groups
• Patient education that is part of comprehensive patient care
(e.g., diabetes education only provided to patients)
• Employee wellness and health promotion
• Screenings when the primary purpose is to generate referrals
to the health care organization
HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
Unpaid costs of:
• Internships, residencies and fellowships
• Training health professionals in special settings, such as
occupational health
• Staff tuition that is provided as an employee benefit
• On-the-job training
• Training for non-health related professions
SUBSIDIZED HEALTH SERVICES
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Clinical programs or service lines that the organization
subsidizes (e.g., palliative care programs, behavioral health
services, mobile units, women’s & children’s services)
• Financial assistance
• Bad debt
• Ancillary services like lab or radiology
RESEARCH
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Evaluation of innovative treatments or delivery models
• Research papers by staff for professional journals and
presentations
• Studies on health issues for vulnerable people
• Research where findings are only used internally
• Market research
• Research that yields proprietary knowledge
GRANTS AND IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Contributions to nonprofit community organizations
• Grants to organizations, projects or initiatives that address a
community need
• Fees for sporting event tickets
• Time spent at recreational events
COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES
COUNTS
DOESN’T COUNT
• Neighborhood improvement and revitalization projects
• Child care for people with a qualified need
• Waste reduction activities
• Collaborative partnerships with community groups to
improve economic stability
• Health facility construction & improvements such as a
meditation garden or parking lot
• Housing costs for employees
• Expenditures to comply with environmental laws
COMMUNITY BENEFIT IS MORE THAN CHARITY CARE
Community benefit encompasses a wide range of services that respond to specific, identified health needs.
WHAT COUNTS AND WHAT DOESN’T?
SPECIAL SECTION: A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY DEFINITIONS