Cover the Uninsured Week 2009
Ensuring all members of our community receive quality health care coverage
In Wisconsin, there are more than 530,000 residents without insurance, nearly 10 percent of the state population. Nationwide, there are 47 million Americans, including 9 million children, who are without health insurance. As we commemorate Cover the Uninsured Week, Affinity proudly reaffirms its commitment to help reduce those numbers.
We realize our efforts alone will not solve the issue of the uninsured in the area. Our goal is to take a solid step toward helping the people in our community who don’t have the insurance coverage they need.
How can you help?
Pray. As a people of faith, we are called to pray - for the poor, for the sick, for health care providers, and for those who make public policy.
Become informed. You can begin by becoming more informed about the issue of the uninsured. Understand that the "uninsured" are not a faceless group of people. They are our family members, friends, and neighbors.
Volunteer. You can volunteer - at a local health clinic, hospital or social services agency - and use your time and talents to help those in need. Become part of a community collaboration. You can work with others in your community to help address the health needs of the poor in your community.
Impact public policy. Talk to your elected officials about the uninsured and ask them to continue working toward national and state solutions that more effectively provide health insurance coverage to those who need it most.
Source: Catholic Health Association of Texas
Affinity's Financial Contributions to the Community
Community Services - $488,088
Activities carried out by Affinity Health System for the express purpose of improving community health. They extend beyond patient care activities and are subsidized by Affinity. Included in this category are the unreimbursed costs associated with community education and outreach, screenings conducted in the community, support groups, counseling services, self-help and wellness programs, immunizations and support for community clinics.
Medical Education - $804,016
Clinical training of interns and residents, nurses, technicians and other health professionals. Included in this category are scholarships provided by Affinity and the unreimbursed cost associated with opening clinical training programs.
Subsidized Health Services - $1,178,797
Provides for non-governmental program recipients with incomplete or no financial reimbursement. Included are services such as emergency services, neonatal intensive care, obstetrics and newborn care, and behavioral health services.
Cash and In-kind Donations - $317,526
Funds and in-kind donations to the community at large. Included are cash contributions to non-profit organizations, sponsorships of health-related activities, food donations, contributions of supplies and equipment, and provision of meeting room space to community groups.
Charity Care - $4,559,286
Free or discounted health-related services provided to people who cannot afford to pay, including uninsured and other low-income patients.
Unreimbursed Cost of Government-Sponsored Programs - $23,578,166*
Shortfall experienced when payments received are below the cost of treating public beneficiaries through Medicaid and other local public programs.
Community Building Activities - $465,912
Community Benefit Operations - $10,669
Total Community Benefits - $31,402,460
*We are not including the gap in Medicare reimbursement, which totaled $40,465,751. This is in accordance with the Catholic Health Association Community Benefit Reporting Guidelines. Including the Medicare shortfall, our total would be $71,868,211.
