Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association Where Care Meets Community: Massachusetts Hospitals’ $1 Billion Investment
In addition to the lifesaving care they provide, Massachusetts hospitals are devoting more than $1 billion to support people’s everyday health in the communities where they live, work, and play.
These investments – known as “community benefit” programs – are seen in public schools and senior centers. They permeate neighborhoods in mobile health vans and farmer’s markets, through job fairs, and in programs that address substance use disorder, violence, and support LGBTQ rights.
Hospitals’ “community benefits” investments address specific health concerns and disparities identified in collaboration with trusted local partners, ranging from faith-based organizations to schools, first responders, and advocacy groups. Programs are provided at no cost to the populations being served and are not reimbursed by government or insurance companies.
“There isn’t another economic sector that steps up for its communities more than our local hospitals, especially under the most challenging of circumstances. These investments embody our hospitals’ commitment to leading on community-based health, closing pervasive disparities, and being a part of their patients’ everyday lives.”
Steve Walsh
President & CEO,
Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association
In the latest year of reporting to the Attorney General (2023), even as the hospital community struggled with severe financial losses and well-documented instability, local hospitals devoted $1.03 billion to local community benefits programs – a 14% increase from FY22. The IRS allows hospitals to count financial losses related to care provided to Medicaid recipients, along with medical education costs and other metrics. Based on the latest available IRS data (2022), Massachusetts hospitals reported $2.43 billion in community benefits to the IRS.