Community Benefit
The Sisters of Charity Health System offers faith-based, quality health care in Northeast Ohio and South Carolina and vibrantly continue the mission and ministry of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine.
Community benefits are programs and services designed to improve health in communities and increase access to health care. They are integral to the mission of Catholic and other not-for-profit health care organizations, and are the basis of tax exemption.
In 2008, the Sisters of Charity Health System provided $46 million in community benefit, including $17.8 million in charity care at cost, $17.9 million in unpaid costs of Medicaid, and other community health services and outreach to the medically disadvantaged in the community (based upon the Catholic Health Association model).
In 2008, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center provided $7.6 million in community benefit.
In 2007, the Sisters of Charity Health System provided $42.7 million in community benefit, including $16.5 million in charity care at cost, $16 million in unpaid costs of Medicaid, and other community health services and outreach to the medically disadvantaged in the community. Unpaid Medicaid costs rose 54% between 2005 and 2007 in our health ministry. Not included in the community benefit calculation, but significant: the System experienced $49.7 million in bad debt in 2007.