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Investing in Charity Care to Improve the Healthcare System

AHPA believes everyone should have access to medical care, regardless of their financial situation. Charity care promotes health equity by reducing barriers such as lack of income and education. AHPA advocates for policies and initiatives that expand charity care, ultimately leading to healthier communities.

AHPA Recognizes That Charity Care Is Important to Health Outcomes

The five AHPA health systems recognize the importance of charity care in improving health outcomes. They provide financial assistance for emergency and medically necessary care, offering full coverage to patients with household incomes up to 200%–250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) and discounted care for those earning up to 400%–600% FPG.

Government Investment Can Create Sustainable Solutions for Charity Care Nationwide

Funding can support:

Expanding Community-Based Care: Programs like AdventHealth’s Community Care Program bring healthcare to high-risk, uninsured patients at home. Investing in these efforts can lower ER visits, improve chronic disease management and support long-term stability.
Connecting Health and Social Services: Better coordination between hospitals, community groups and social services—like Project Restoration does—can tackle issues like homelessness and substance use disorders, reducing the need for emergency care.
Prioritizing Prevention and Whole-Person Care: Changing how healthcare is funded to focus on prevention and overall well-being can help sustain charity care while improving long-term health outcomes.

AdventHealth is Expanding Access to Care For Uninsured and Underinsured Patients Through Community-Based Initiatives.

Community Care Projects: The Community Care Clinic at Altamonte is a free clinic that serves uninsured patients with chronic conditions such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, bronchitis and pneumonia. It also provides medication cost assistance and education. Additionally, the Community Care Program offers home-based, multidisciplinary support for high-risk patients, helping to reduce ER visits, inpatient stays and overall healthcare costs through partnerships with local organizations.

Adventist Health Provides Access to Care For Underserved Communities

Community-Based Charity Care: Adventist Health addresses specific community needs through its charity care outreach. In Los Angeles, the Homeless Health Navigation Project supports unhoused patients for 90 days after discharge, connecting them with medical care, housing and financial assistance to help break the cycle of recurrent hospital visits. In Oregon’s Columbia Gorge, the SOMOS program ensures migrant farmworkers receive medical services during the cherry harvest each summer by providing free health fairs and screenings. Meanwhile, in Clear Lake, Project Restoration takes a collaborative approach (with city government, law enforcement, fire district, etc.) to address homelessness and healthcare access, ultimately leading to a 44% reduction in local hospital admissions.

The Opportunity to Transform Charity Care

Beyond funding, transforming charity care requires a shift in how we approach healthcare—focusing on long-term rather than short-term solutions. Strengthening partnerships between hospitals, policymakers and community organizations can create a more sustainable system that addresses the root causes of poor health. By investing in prevention and expanding access to care, we can create a future where fewer people rely on charity care in the first place.