Our Commitment to Our Communities

Meeting the health care needs of our communities is the cornerstone of Sutter Health's not-for-profit mission. This includes directly serving those who cannot afford to pay for health care and supporting programs and services that help those in financial need.

In 2012, our network of physician organizations, hospitals and other health care providers invested $795 million (compared to $756 million in 2011) in health care programs, services and benefits for the poor and underserved. This includes:

• The cost of providing charity care


• The unpaid costs of participating in Medi-Cal


• Investments in medical research, health education and community-based public benefit programs such as school-based clinics and prenatal care for patients.

In 2012, Sutter Health provided more than $2.9 million every week on average – or $153 million total – in free health care services for patients unable to pay.