Community Benefit By The Numbers

Meridian Health delivers on its core mission to serve the community in many ways:

Charity Care and Uncompensated Care
All members of our community can rely on Meridian Health hospitals to provide the high quality care they require, regardless of the ability to pay. In 2007, 31 percent of our total community benefit activities was devoted to charity and other uncompensated care, serving as the health care safety net for our community’s most vulnerable populations.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Graduate Medical Education
The Medicare program is the largest source of health care funding for seniors, and Medicaid provides funding to meet the health care needs of lower-income patients and the disabled. These two federal programs are also the nation’s primary source of funding for graduate medical education, facilitating the training of tomorrow’s clinicians.

However, these programs do not fully reimburse hospitals for the health care that is provided to these patients or for the cost of operating graduate education programs. The growing senior and uninsured patient populations that Meridian serves, combined with an increase in mission-driven investments in graduate medical education, have broadened these shortfalls over the years. In 2007, Meridian invested over $50 million to ensure that these specific needs are met.

Community Outreach
In addition to delivering exceptional care, Meridian provides free and low-cost educational programs and preventative health screenings and also makes charitable donations to local organizations. Last year, Meridian reached more than 24,000 people through screenings and symposia, and devoted more than $500,000 to organizations who share our commitment to the health and well-being of local residents.

Subsidized Health Services
Meridian subsidizes vital services to ensure that those who need specialized care can access it. Ten percent of our community benefit initiatives supports our Family Health Centers and clinics, as well as our behavioral health, cancer, neonatal intensive care, and women’s services.

Community Benefit Funding

Meridian Health devoted a total of $88,197,005 to community benefit initiatives in 2007; the breakdown is represented above.