Here we go again, more attacks on hospitals’ community benefit programs – first with AB 975 in the legislature earlier this year, and now, a recent report from the Greenlining Institute uses faulty assumptions in evaluating hospitals’ community benefit programs. And during this holiday season of giving, it seems an opportune time to further counter the thought process of AB 975 by putting forth our members’ first and foremost mission of providing quality health care services to residents of their community.

Legislation such as AB 975 would have resulted in cutbacks or the elimination of vital community programs if certain nonprofit hospitals lose their tax status due to new and uncertain operating standards. By imposing a vague and uncertain standard to revoke a hospital’s tax status, these types of bills threaten local programs provided by community organizations, and imposes state mandates that would hamper a nonprofit hospital’s ability to serve the uninsured, underinsured, and public at large. Is this really what we want, at a time when hospital community benefit programs are so crucial?

Hospitals, and their community benefit programs, are in tune with the specific needs of their own unique community. The health and social needs of one community vary when compared to another. A “one-size-fits-all” mandatory reporting requirement doesn’t respect regional diversity.

Not a single local government in California has asserted that their nonprofit hospital is failing to meet local needs. In fact, it’s just the opposite. In Southern California, examples abound of hospital community benefit programs coming to the aid of local residents. In the San Fernando Valley, just to name one, Providence Health & Services – Southern California funds a mobile screening clinic that travels throughout the region’s neighborhoods five days a week, supporting low-income and disadvantaged residents. The program is coordinated with area churches to help reach at-risk populations. Please visit the Caring is Our Calling website for more information on this and other similar programs Link to Video.

Furthermore, to accuse nonprofit hospitals of not spending enough on services that benefit their communities, and potentially strip them of their nonprofit status, would put vital health care services in jeopardy, thereby compromising patient care.

Bottom line: Let’s allow hospitals—along with input from their community—to continue to decide where best to spend the funding for community benefit programs.