ADVOCATE HEALTH AND HOSPITALS CORP

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCEPROVIDING INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY REGARDLESS OF THE PATIENTS' ABILITY TO PAY. INCLUDED IN THESE HEALTH CARE SERVICES ARE THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAUMA CARE. AS PART OF ITS COMMUNITY BENEFITS STRATEGY AND ITS VISION AND VALUES, ADVOCATE IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING INITIATIVES THAT ENHANCE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED AND LOW INCOME. ADVOCATE OFFERS A VERY GENEROUS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, REQUIRING NO PAYMENTS FROM THE PATIENTS MOST IN NEED AND PROVIDING DISCOUNTS TO UNINSURED AND INSURED PATIENTS. PATIENTS EARNING UP TO SIX TIMES THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (FPL) AND INSURED PATIENTS EARNING UP TO TWO AND HALF TIMES THE FPL, MAY QUALIFY FOR A FULL OR PARTIAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT. ADDITIONALLY, A CATASTROPHIC ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE FOR UNINSURED AND INSURED PATIENTS WHOSE INCOMES EXCEED THE TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INCOME GUIDELINES AND HAVE OUTSTANDING PATIENT BALANCES OF $25,000 OR MORE FOR A SINGLE DATE OF SERVICE OR SUM OF SEVERAL DATES OF SERVICE. THESE PATIENTS MAY QUALIFY TO RECEIVE A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT THAT REDUCES THEIR OUTSTANDING BALANCE TO 25% OF THEIR NET INCOME. FOR UNINSURED PATIENTS, ADVOCATE WILL PRESUMPTIVELY PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IF THE FINANCIAL STATUS HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IN THESE CASES, THE PATIENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A SEPARATE CHARITY APPLICATION. IF PRESUMPTIVE CRITERIA ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR UNINSURED PATIENTS, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY IS AVAILABLE USING AN INCOME-BASED SCREENING. ADVOCATE EXTENDS ITS INCOME-BASED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY TO ITS INSURED PATIENTS AS WELL. ADVOCATE CONTINUES TO REVIEW AND REFINE ITS POLICY IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED HELP.ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING EXPERT EMERGENCY CARETODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE. IN THE AREA OF TRAUMA CARE, LEVEL 1 DESIGNATION IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL FOR TRAUMA CENTERS. AS LEVEL 1 TRAUMA CENTERS, FIVE ADVOCATE HOSPITALSADVOCATE CHRIST, ADVOCATE CONDELL, ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN, ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC AND ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERALCARE FOR THE MOST SERIOUSLY INJURED PEOPLE IN CHICAGOLAND. AS IS THE CASE WITH ALL ILLINOIS LEVEL I TRAUMA CENTERS, ADVOCATE'S TRAUMA CENTERS ARE STAFFED BY ON-SITE, 24-HOUR-A-DAY TRAUMA SURGEONS; FEATURE 24-HOUR SURGICAL AND NONSURGICAL SERVICES, SUCH AS RADIOLOGY AND ANESTHESIA; AND CAN ACCOMMODATE HELICOPTER TRANSPORTS. ADVOCATE OPERATES NEARLY ONE-QUARTER OF ALL LEVEL I TRAUMA CENTERS IN ILLINOIS AND IS THE LARGEST TRAUMA SYSTEM IN THE STATE. TWENTY PERCENT OF TRAUMA PATIENTS IN METROPOLITAN CHICAGO ARE TREATED ANNUALLY IN AN ADVOCATE TRAUMA CENTER. IN 2022, ADVOCATE'S LEVEL I TRAUMA HOSPITALS TREATED 2,712 TRAUMA PATIENTS. AN ADDITIONAL 304 TRAUMA PATIENTS WERE TREATED AT ADVOCATE'S LEVEL II DESIGNATED TRAUMA HOSPITAL ADVOCATE SHERMAN AND ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPARAD. IN ADDITION TO THE TRAUMA I AND II PATIENTS, THERE WERE 486,818 NON-TRAUMA ER VISITS TO ADVOCATE'S HOSPITALS IN 2023 .

HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY PHYSICIANS EMPLOYED BY THE ORGANIZATION. AS PART OF ADVOCATE'S BROAD ARRAY OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO MEET COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS, ADVOCATE PHYSICIANS TARGET UNIQUE HEALTH ACCESS NEEDS OF THE UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED, UNDERSERVED, LOW INCOME AND SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN CHICAGOLAND AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES. EXAMPLES OF THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE:ADVOCATE ADULT DOWN SYNDROME CENTER. ESTABLISHED IN 1992 THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DOWN SYNDROME (NADS), THE ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP ADULT DOWN SYNDROME CENTER PROVIDES CRUCIAL PSYCHOSOCIAL AND MEDICAL SERVICES TO ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME LIVING IN ALL AREAS OF ILLINOIS. EACH YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 1800 INDIVIDUALS ARE SERVED THROUGH OVER 6,000 VISITS, INCLUDING CARE IN THE OFFICE, THE PATIENT'S HOME, AT RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES AND IN THE HOSPITAL. THE CENTER'S MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE, WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, PROVIDES PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO HEALTH EDUCATION AND HEALTH RISK REDUCTION, INCLUDING SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME IN THEIR OWN HEALTH PROMOTION EFFORTS. REIMBURSEMENT IS REDUCED GIVEN MORE TIME IS PROVIDED TO EACH PATIENT VISIT TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WITH DOWN SYNDROME TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE. FURTHER, ONLY ONE-THIRD OF THE COST OF THE CLINIC IS REIMBURSED THROUGH BILLING INSURANCE DUE TO THE PAYOR MIX. ADVOCATE GENEROUSLY PROVIDES SOME SERVICES THROUGH THE CENTER THAT ARE KEY TO HEALTH PROMOTION BUT THAT ARE NOT REIMBURSABLE OR BILLABLE. IN ADDITION TO PATIENT CARE, THE MISSION OF THE CENTER INCLUDES EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. IN 2023, THE CENTER STAFF PROVIDED NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND CLASSES (VIRTUALLY, OF COURSE, DURING THE PANDEMIC BUT BEGINNING TO BE IN-PERSON AGAIN), PUBLISHED RESEARCH STUDIES, PROVIDED EXTENSIVE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ONLINE AND IN PRINT FORM, AND PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS EDUCATING ABOUT AND RESEARCHING THE EFFECT OF A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS HAVE ON PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME SUCH AS COVID-19, ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.MAINE TOWNSHIP DISTRICT 207 SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS (SBHC). MAINE TOWNSHIP DISTRICT 207 WAS FACED WITH APPROXIMATELY 30 PERCENT OF ITS STUDENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET, OR EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY MEETING, THE STATE-MANDATED PHYSICAL AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS DUE TO BEING UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED. FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS OF PLANNING AND IN COLLABORATION WITH ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP AND ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL, THE DISTRICT OPENED A SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER (D207 SBHC) IN MAINE EAST HIGH SCHOOL IN MARCH 2003 TO PROVIDE THESE STUDENTS WITH ACCESS TO VITAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES. ADVOCATE EMPLOYEES SERVE AS MEDICAL DIRECTOR, PEDIATRICIAN, NURSE PRACTITIONER AND MENTAL HEALTH WORKER FOR THE GRANT-FUNDED CLINIC. THE CLINIC HAS A SMALL PHARMACY THAT PROVIDES LIMITED MEDICATIONS FOR STUDENTS IN NEED AND ADVOCATE KEEPS THE CLINIC EQUIPPED WITH OFFICE SUPPLIES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT. THE CENTER ALSO SERVES AS A TRAINING SITE FOR PEDIATRIC AND FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENTS. OPEN TO ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MAINE TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 207, THE D207 SBHC HAS HELPED TO PROVIDE MANY STUDENTS WITH PHYSICALS AND IMMUNIZATIONS, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN ITS 99% IL STATE COMPLIANCE RATE. THE CENTER PROVIDES FREE OR LOW-COST SERVICES INCLUDING PHYSICALS, IMMUNIZATIONS, EMERGENT CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT, NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. IN 2023 THE SBHC PROGRAM SERVED 1,306 STUDENTS; OF THE 1,306 ENCOUNTERS, 225 WERE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND 1,101 RELATED TO GENERAL MEDICAL ENCOUNTERS. BY SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR (AUGUST 2023/MAY 2024), THE SBHC SERVED 1480 STUDENTS, 384 ENCOUNTERS WERE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH.MEDFEST. IN 2021, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO AFFECT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS OF ILLINOIS FROM HOLDING MEDFESTAN ANNUAL EVENT THAT THE ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP HAD PLANNED TO SPONSOR FOR THE 20TH TIME IN A ROW. WHILE THE TEAM DID NOT ANTICIPATE CANCELING THIS EVENT IN 2021, THE ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP IS INVESTED IN THE CAUSE AND PLANS TO RESUME ITS INVOLVEMENT ONCE THE PANDEMIC SUBSIDES AND IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. MEDFEST IS ANNUALLY HELD AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE STATE. THE EVENT PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS, CREATING AVENUES FOR INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE FOR THIS UNDERSERVED POPULATION THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS. ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP PHYSICIANS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING FREE CLINICAL SERVICES, WHICH RESULT IN PARTICIPANTS ENHANCED PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COMFORT WITH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY. ON DECEMBER 6, 2023 , MEDFEST TOOK PLACE AT THE UNITED CENTER WHERE 75 ADVOCATE STAFF AND CLINICIANS PROVIDED 420 ATHLETE MEDICAL SCREENINGS, THAT ALSO INCLUDED HEIGHT/WEIGHT AND BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS.