Community Benefit and Caring for the Uninsured
Meeting the health care needs of our communities is the cornerstone of Sutter Health's not-for-profit mission. This includes directly serving people who cannot afford to pay for health care and supporting health-related programs and services that help those in financial need.
With no medical insurance, Jose Duenas was worried about affording emergency surgery…until he learned about charity care.
View Jose's story video transcript
In 2009, our network of physician organizations, hospitals and other health care providers invested $667 million (compared to $597 million in 2008) in health care programs, services and benefits for the poor and underserved and broader community. 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
Sutter Health now provides more than $2 million in charity care per week. Our traditional charity care contribution in 2009 reached an all-time high of $108 million—an increase from $96 million in 2008.
Traditional charity care covers health care services provided to patients who cannot afford to pay and who meet certain other criteria.
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