St Vincent Hospital

COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORTING - CHARITY CARE AND MEDICAID CHRISTUS HEALTH, A MEMBER ORGANIZATION, ADHERES TO THE CATHOLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION'S A GUIDE FOR PLANNING AND REPORTING COMMUNITY BENEFIT (2015). COMMUNITY BENEFIT, REPORTED AS UNPAID COSTS, INCLUDES BOTH CHARITY CARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. TO THE LIMITS OF ITS RESOURCES, CHRISTUS HEALTH IS AN INSTITUTION OF PURELY PUBLIC CHARITY; THUS, THE MOST TANGIBLE EXPRESSION OF CHRISTUS HEALTH'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE IS THE PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THOSE PERSONS WHO ARE UNABLE TO PAY. THIS FALLS INTO TWO CATEGORIES: CHARITY CARE AND UNPAID GOVERNMENT INDIGENT CARE. IN KEEPING WITH THE MISSION, VALUES, AND VISION OF CHRISTUS HEALTH, ST. VINCENT HOSPITAL PROVIDES CHARITY CARE SERVICES IN A MANNER THAT RESPECTS THE DIGNITY OF THE PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. CHARITY CARE IS PROVIDED WITHOUT CHARGE OR AT A CHARGE THAT IS LESS THAN THE USUAL CHARGE FOR SUCH SERVICES. THE DETERMINATION AS TO THE AMOUNT TO BE CHARGED, IF ANY, IS MADE ACCORDING TO A PATIENT'S ABILITY TO PAY AS DETERMINED BY ESTABLISHED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. FOR UNINSURED PATIENTS WHOSE ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES PLACE THEM AT OR UNDER 200 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (FPL), SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATION OF PAYMENT. NO PATIENT IS REFUSED NECESSARY MEDICAL CARE BASED ON HIS OR HER ABILITY TO PAY. ST. VINCENT HOSPITAL PROVIDES DIRECT CARE SERVICES, INCLUDING THOSE PROVIDED BY EMPLOYED PHYSICIAN PRACTICES, TO INPATIENTS AND OUTPATIENTS, INCLUDING INDIGENT, MEDICAID, OTHER PAYOR CLASSES AND UNINSURED PATIENTS, TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 352,984 ENCOUNTERS. ST. VINCENT HOSPITAL'S COMMUNITY BENEFIT INCLUDES THE COST OF PROVIDING UNCOMPENSATED CARE AND SERVICES FOR PATIENTS WITH LIMITED OR NO MEANS TO PAY, GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS WHERE EXPENSES EXCEED PAYMENTS, AND NON-BILLED SERVICES DIRECTED AT IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. ST. VINCENT HOSPITAL IS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN NEW MEXICO'S MEDICAID PROGRAMS. THOSE PROGRAMS SEEK TO PROVIDE PAYMENT FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET CERTAIN FINANCIAL AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE EVALUATION OF BOTH ASSETS AND INCOME. NEW MEXICO HAS ACCEPTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY THROUGH THE HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT. THIS WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN PROMOTING THE ABILITY OF ST. VINCENT TO PROVIDE CARE TO THIS LARGER POPULATION.