Responding to the Lown Institute’s latest report on hospital community benefits, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack notes that financial assistance is only one part of a hospital’s total community benefit and does not account for many programs and services that hospitals provide to meet the specific needs of their community, from housing to healthy foods, health screenings, transportation and uncompensated care.  

“America’s hospitals and health systems do more than any other part of the health care field to support vulnerable patients and communities: Our doors are always open, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay,” Pollack writes. “In total, hospitals of all types have provided nearly $745 billion in uncompensated care to patients since 2000.”

Related News Articles

Blog
Every single hospital and health system provides benefits to their communities that far outstrip any other sector in health care. What commercial health plan…
Chairperson's File
On this episode, I talk with Eugene Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health, based in Charlotte, N.C. Gene is a former chair of the AHA Board of Trustees.…
Blog
All hospitals and health systems, regardless of size, location and type of ownership, are deeply dedicated to caring for their patients and communities in a…
Perspective
Hospitals and health systems have always been the trusted source of care that people turn to in times of sickness, injury or emergency. But beyond…
Blog
All hospitals and health systems, regardless of size, location and type of ownership, are dedicated to caring for their patients and communities in a wide…
#HealthCareInnovation Blog
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is now implementing what we believe is a truly neighborhood-driven and co-designed community investment initiative in Columbus…