Henry County Health Center provides community benefit

MT. PLEASANT – Henry County Health Center provides $1,669,649 in community benefits to Henry County, according to a recently completed assessment of those programs and services. That amount, based on 2018 figures, includes $1,143,911 in uncompensated care and $525,738 in free or discounted community benefits that HCHC specifically implemented to help Henry County residents.

Community benefits are activities to improve health status and increase access to health care. With uncompensated care and charity care, community benefits include such services and programs as health screenings, support groups, counseling, immunizations, nutrition services and transportation programs.

The results for Henry County Health Center are included in a statewide report by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) that shows Iowa hospitals provided community benefits in 2018 valued at more than $945 million, including more than $253 million in charity care.

'Henry County Health Center's mission is to enhance the health of individuals and our communities through high quality, effective and efficient services. The programs and services offered by the health center directly relate to our mission, and are designed to meet the health care needs of area residents,” commented HCHC CEO Robb Gardner.

The programs and services accounted for in the survey were implemented in direct response to the needs of communities, counties and regions. Many of these programs and services would not exist without hospital support and leadership.

Uncompensated care and charity care also play roles in the community benefit for services provided by hospitals. Total uncompensated care in 2018 was valued at $537 million. The survey also showed total Medicare and Medicaid losses (at cost) of $232 million.

Charity care in Iowa hospitals has declined precipitously since implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including Iowa's expansion of the Medicaid program. Recent efforts in Congress to repeal the ACA and roll back expansion would not only leave tens of thousands of Iowans without insurance, but also would financially endanger hospitals statewide, which is why IHA has strenuously opposed such legislation.

Iowa hospitals, which employ more than 76,000 people, continue implementing strategies that increase value to their patients and communities by offering high-quality care, addressing the health needs of communities and employing process improvements that bend the cost curve. By seeking ways to raise quality, reduce waste and increase safety, Iowa hospitals have become value leaders, as shown in multiple studies, including those by the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care and the Commonwealth Fund.

'Henry County Health Center is committed to patient satisfaction and the delivery of high quality healthcare that our patients expect and deserve. We must continue to be innovative in caring for our patients and elders. That is why our participation with organizations like the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative Hospital Improvement Innovation Network is so important. This, along with many other activities, is evidence of HCHC's continued dedication to ensure value in the healthcare that we provide,” explained Gardner.

These efforts, with IHA's advocacy to create fairer payment methodologies from Medicare and Medicaid, help ensure the financial stability of hospitals, making it possible for them to provide the services and programs most needed by their communities.