A new report released on Dec. 19 by the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) showed the state’s hospitals provided $2.3 billion in community benefits and charity care in Fiscal Year 2023. The WHA 2024 Community Benefit Report details the many ways Wisconsin’s nonprofit hospitals and health systems care for their communities beyond patient care, often at a financial loss.

 

Included in the $2.3 billion is around $3.3 million of uncompensated care provided by Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital and Clinics. This accounts for 4.5% of St. Joseph’s gross patient revenue — the second highest rate in the state.

 

WHAT IS UNCOMPENSATED HEALTH CARE?

Hospitals have traditionally used the term “uncompensated health care” to encompass two components: financial assistance and bad debt. Each component represents services for which the hospital does not receive payment. Financial Assistance is care for which a hospital does not expect payment because it has been determined that the patient cannot afford to pay. Bad debt, however, comes from care for which payment is expected, but the hospital is unable to collect.

 

“What this means is that St. Joe’s is delivering on its mission,” says Kristie McCoic, administrator at Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital and Clinics. “We are a nonprofit hospital providing care to those in need regardless of their ability to pay. We have wonderful, caring individuals in our financial services team who are happy to assist patients in determining if they qualify for our financial assistance program.”

 

For more information on Gundersen St. Joseph’s financial assistance program, visit gundersenhealth.org/patients-visitors/financial-assistance or call (608) 489-8000.