Attorney General Martha Coakley Releases 2008 Community Benefits Hospital Reports
BOSTON, Mass. – Massachusetts residents received more than $408 million in community benefits from non-profit hospitals last year, according to the 2008 Community Benefits Hospital Reports released today by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office.Disease prevention education programs, charity care, and assistance obtaining health insurance are among the benefits residents received through the Attorney General’s Community Benefits Program. The program, established by the Attorney General’s office in 1994, sets expectations on how non-profit acute care hospitals and HMOs should formally assess the health care needs of their communities, plan programs in concert with community partners, and report those activities to the Attorney General’s Office. Today’s reports are available at: www.mass.gov/ago/communitybenefits.
“I am proud of these collaborative efforts between our hospitals and community organizations,” said Attorney General Coakley. “Community benefit programs provide our underserved citizens with invaluable health care services.”
Fifty-seven non-profit hospitals and two for-profit hospitals participated in the Community Benefits Program in 2008, providing $249 million in programs and services and $158 million in charity care. Through the program, Massachusetts hospitals provide services through various initiatives that address the specific health needs of local residents. Highlights from the 2008 program include:
* Berkshire Medical Center’s Cardiovascular/Diabetes Prevention Program identified cardiovascular and diabetes risks through education programs. As of result of that program, 1280 Diabetic patients were educated and 500 patients received cardio-related screenings from visiting nurses.
* Cape Cod Healthcare’s Brazilian CPR and First Aid Training recruited and trained five bilingual members of the Brazilian community as Certified Red Cross CPR/ED and First Aid instructors. These trainers then trained 130 members of the Brazilian community in basic CPR and first aid.
* Heywood Hospital’s Gateway Health Access Program (GHAP) is a nationally- recognized model for enrolling people in health insurance plans. In 2008, the program screened more than 15,000 people, and helped 4,500 obtain health insurance.
* Massachusetts General Hospital’s Disparities Solution Center in collaboration with MGH Revere HealthCare Center, created a program to address barriers to care for Cambodian Diabetic patients.
Last month, as part of her ongoing effort to address unmet health needs in the Commonwealth, Attorney General Coakley issued new Community Benefit Guidelines for non-profit, acute care hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The revised guidelines were the product of a year-long review by an Advisory Task Force of key stakeholders who share the common goal of improving the health of communities across the state. Under the guidelines, hospitals and HMOs submit annual reports to the Attorney General’s Office on their community benefit programs and expenditures.
This enables both Attorney General oversight, and public scrutiny of non-profit health care institutions. The revised Guidelines were designed to improve transparency and accountability in community benefit reporting, encourage pre-planning and community involvement, and align hospital and HMO community benefit activities with statewide health priorities. The new Guidelines go into effect in October.
All non-profit acute care hospitals are asked to submit their community benefits reports to the Attorney General’s Office annually by February 28th. Health plans are due to file their Community Benefits Reports with the Attorney General’s Office by May 31st.
The Community Benefits Program is coordinated by Assistant Attorney General Lois Johnson, Health Policy Analyst Kimberly Henry, and Division Chief Quentin Palfrey of Attorney General Coakley’s Health Care Division and Division Chief David Spackman of Attorney General Coakley’s Non-Profits/Public Charities Division.
