The Chester County Hospital and Health System provides quality medical healthcare regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, handicap, age, or ability to pay. Although reimbursement for services rendered is critical to the operation and stability of The Chester County Hospital, it is recognized that not all individuals possess the ability to purchase essential medical services. Despite a patient's ability to pay, our mission is to serve the community with respect to providing health care services and health education. Therefore, in keeping with the Hospital's commitment to serve all people, it provides:
- Free care and/or subsidized care;
- Care at or below costs to persons covered by governmental programs;
- Health activities and programs where the need and/or an individual's inability to pay co-exist. These activities include wellness, education and special programs for the elderly, handicapped, medically underserved, and a variety of broad community-support activities.
Emergency care is provided 24-hours-a-day and is accessible to all people regardless of their ability to pay.
The Chester County Hospital and Health System provides care to persons covered by governmental programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. To the extent that payments received from Medicare and Medicaid are less than the cost to provide that care, the Hospital recognizes these shortfalls as charity care (health care provided for free or at reduced prices). During the year ending June 30, 2012, costs to provide these services exceeded reimbursement by approximately $16.6 million.
Charity care is also provided through many reduced-price services and free programs offered throughout the year based upon activities and services that The Chester County Hospital believes will serve a bona fide health need. These include:
- Health activities and programs with a cost of $493,383.
- Cost to provide free care of $6,033,674 (inclusive of bad debts).
Published: The Chester County Hospital and Health System Community Benefit Report FY2012