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Comparison
of the dollar amount of Charity Care provided by Hospitals
The
1989 Legislature enacted RCW 70.170.060, which prohibits any Washington
hospital from denying access to emergency care based on inability to pay, or adopting
admission policies which significantly reduce charity care.
The same legislation directs each hospital to develop a charity care policy.
The Department of Health (DOH) is responsible for rule-making and monitoring related to
charity care, and is required to report to the Legislature and Governor on an annual basis.
This report
provides a source of data to assess the impact of uncompensated health care on hospital
charges and continued access to health care in a community and is a resource document for
persons wishing to conduct research or seek information on uncompensated health care.
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Starting with 2003 the files are in Adobe Acrobat which require free
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2004 Charity Care Report
Washington hospitals provided $378 million in total charity care charges
for 2004, which is an increase of 72.7 percent above 2003 and a 138.1
percent increase above the 2002 levels. Charity care for 2004 was 2.02
percent of total hospital revenue and 4.06 percent of “adjusted revenue”
(with Medicare and Medcaid payments deleted for comparisons focused on
each hospital’s base of primarily private payments). Total charity care
charges have consistently increased from 1998 to the present. The
increase from 2003 to 2004 is the largest increase in charity care ever
recorded by either the Department of Health or by the Washington State
Hospital Commission.
2003 Charity Care
Report
Washington hospitals provided $219 million in total charity care charges
for 2003, which is an increase of 37.9 percent above 2002 and a 61.8
percent increase above the 2001 levels. Charity care for 2003 was 1.32
percent of total hospital revenue and 2.67 percent of “adjusted revenue”
(with Medicare and Medical Assistance Program payments deleted for
comparisons focused on each hospital’s base of primarily private
payments). From 1989 until 1993, charity care steadily increased in total
dollars and as a percent of revenue, while from 1994 through 1997, charity
care steadily declined in both categories. Since 1998 total charity care
charges have consistently increased through 2003.
2002 Charity Care
Report
Washington hospitals provided $159 million in total charity care charges
for 2002, which is an increase of 17.4 percent above 2001 and a 33.2
percent increase above the 2000 levels. Charity care for 2002 was 1.09
percent of total hospital revenue and 2.15 percent of “adjusted revenue”
(with Medicare and Medical Assistance Program payments deleted for
comparisons focused on each hospital’s base of primarily private
payments). From 1989 until 1993, charity care steadily increased in total
dollars and as a percent of revenue, while from 1994 through 1997, charity
care steadily declined in both categories. Since 1998 total charity care
charges have consistently increased through 2002.
2001 Charity Care
Report
Washington hospitals provided $135 million in charity care for 2001, which
is an increase of 13.5 percent above 2000 and a 20.0 percent increase
above the 1999 levels. Charity care for 2001 was 1.08 percent of total
hospital revenue and 2.12 percent of “adjusted revenue” (with Medicare and
Medical Assistance Program payments deleted for comparisons focused on
each hospital’s base of primarily private payments). From 1989 until
1993, charity care steadily increased in total dollars and as a percent of
revenue, while from 1994 through 1997, charity care steadily declined in
both categories. Total charity care for 1998 increased for the first time
in five years. This trend continues from 1999 through the 2001 level.
2000
Charity Care Report
Washington hospitals provided $118 million in charity care for 2000, which is an increase of
4.5 percent above 1999 and a 8.6 percent increase above the 1998 levels.
Charity care for 2000 was 1.07 percent of total hospital revenue and 2.05 percent of
“adjusted revenue” (with Medicare and Medical Assistance Program payments deleted for
comparisons focused on each hospital’s base of primarily private payments).
From 1989 until 1993, charity care steadily increased in total dollars and as a percent
of revenue, while from 1994 through 1997, charity care steadily declined in both categories.
Total charity care for 1998 increased for the first time in five years.
This trend continued in 1999 and again in 2000 with an increase above the 1999 level.
1999
Charity Care Report
Washington hospitals provided $113 million in charity care for 1999, which is an
increase of 3.9% above 1998 and a 10.4% increase above the 1997 levels.
Charity care for 1999 was 1.19% of total hospital revenue and 2.19% of “adjusted
revenue” (with Medicare and Medical Assistance Program payments deleted for comparisons
focused on each hospital’s base of primarily private payments)
1998
Charity Care Report
Washington hospitals provided $108 million in charity care for 1998, which is an increase of
6.24% above 1997 and a 2.46% increase above the 1996 levels. Charity care for 1998 was 1.31%
of total hospital revenue and 2.46% of "adjusted revenue" (with Medicare and Medical
Assistance Program payments deleted for comparisons focused on each hospital’s base of
primarily private payments).
1997
Charity Care Report
Washington hospitals provided $102 million in charity care for 1997, which is a
decrease of 3.60% below 1996 and a 7.44% decrease below the 1995 levels. Charity care for 1997
was 1.37% of total hospital revenue and 2.63% of "adjusted revenue" (with Medicare
and Medical Assistance Program payments deleted for comparisons focused on each hospital’s
base of primarily private payments).
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