Mercyhealth at Home

VISITS: SKILLED NURSING 18,397, HOSPICE HOMECARE 8,338. HOSPITAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT - IRS FORM 990, SUPPLEMENT PART III: The community benefit contribution of Mercy Assisted Care, Inc. includes programs and activities that improve access to health care and improve health in our communities. In order to portray the full breadth of our contribution, our community benefit information is described below: Section 1: Qualitative Description of Community Benefit - describes the organization's community benefit mission, how the mission is translated into a proactive approach designed to meet community health needs, how the organization meets tax-exempt requirements, and a description of community benefit programs and services that highlight the organization's impact on community health. Section 2: Quantitative Description of Community Benefit - describes the organization's community benefit contribution in financial terms presenting the amount of charity care, the unpaid shortfall from government health care for the indigent, and the net expense of community benefit services. SECTION 1-QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT 1. Mercy Assisted Care Inc.'s Commitment to Providing Community Benefit: A. The Mission of the Mercy Assisted Care, Inc. is "to provide exceptional healthcare services resulting in healing in its broadest sense." Mercy Assisted Care provides quality medical care regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, handicap, age, or ability to pay. Although reimbursement for services rendered is critical to the operation and stability of Mercy Assisted Care, it is recognized that not all individuals possess the ability to purchase essential medical services. Therefore, in keeping its Mission, Mercy Assisted Care routinely provides: 1.) free care and/or subsidized care, 2.) care to persons covered by governmental programs that are reimbursed below cost, and 3.) health activities and educational and support programs to the communities it serves in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. These activities include wellness programs, community education programs, special programs for the elderly, handicapped, medically underserved, and a variety of broad community support activities. Many of the services of Mercy Assisted Care are focused on keeping the elderly and medically frail in the type of independent setting most appropriate to their medical condition. B. Mercy Assisted Care considers its target populations to be residents of Rock and Walworth Counties in Wisconsin, as well as parts of McHenry County in Illinois. The System uses multiple strategies to identify needs in these communities. These strategies include one-on-one meetings with local community leaders, formal surveys, participation on community task forces, suggestions from patients, and direct input from its employees. Mercy Assisted Care has worked with various community organizations to help meet these needs: 1.) Mercy Assisted Care subsidizes its Hospice program (through fundraising/donations from Mercy Foundation) so that this program is available to those in need within the community. 2) It provides health screenings and health education seminars at public events and at its own sites throughout the target area. 3) Along with its sister-corporation (Mercy Health System Corporation), Mercy Assisted Care, provides training opportunities for nurses, physicians, and other health professionals. C. Community/Charity Care is provided by Mercy Assisted Care to customers who are unable to pay for all or a portion of their charges and who meet eligibility requirements. Eligibility is based on the following: individual or family income, individual or family assets, family size, and other sources of payment for services. Eligibility for all other categorical aids is a prerequisite before qualifying for community care. Patients that qualify will receive a reduction in the balance owed and extended payment terms. The amount of the Community Care benefit is based on the patient's ability to pay and the size of the outstanding balance. If patient income and family assets are less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, then Mercy will cover 100% of their outstanding balance via its Community Care Program. If patient income and family assets fall between 201% and 300% of the federal poverty guideline, then a patient's balance can be reduced as much as 90%. Mercy has procedures in place to inform the public about the availability of financial aid/charity care. Information is made available at the time of registration, through patient financial counselors, and at the customer service patient accounts areas. Training is provided to personnel as to how to communicate this program's availability to patients and how to direct patients' inquiries. Translation services are available as needed. 2. Organizational Description for Tax Exemption - Mercy Assisted Care, Inc has a governing body in which independent persons representative of the community comprise a majority. - Mercy Assisted Care, Inc. participates in Medicaid, Medicare, CHAMPUS, Tricare, and other government-sponsored health care programs. 3. Description of Community Benefit Programs Mercy Assisted Care offers many reduced price services and free programs throughout the year based upon activities and services which Mercy Assisted Care, Inc. believes will serve a bona fide community health need. Some of the programs include: - Participation in health fairs - Participation in Hospice Support Groups. 4. Links to Additional Community Benefit Information Mercy Health System's web page: www.mercyhealthsystem.org Much of the Community Benefit for all the entities of the entire Mercyhealth organization (parent company of Mercy Assisted Care, Inc.) is provided at the Mercy Health System Corporation. SECTION 2 - QUANTIFIABLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023: 1) CHARITY CARE - AT COST $31,334 2) MEDICAID SHORTFALL - NET EXPENSE $192,996 TOTAL QUANTIFIABLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT $224,330