The availability, affordability and quality of future healthcare depend on navigating this storm with sound judgment, strong leadership and support for legitimate short-term and long-term solutions.

• Uninsured and underinsured populations are increasing - straining the resources of the community and healthcare organizations working to serve them.
  
  
• Healthcare costs are escalating - compromising efforts to make healthcare affordable and accessible for everyone. 
  
  
• Government regulations are expanding and government reimbursement is not keeping pace with the cost of care - producing more "red tape" and providing less support.
  
  
• Class action lawsuits threaten the viability of not-for-profit health organizations - distracting attention from uninsured issues and consuming resources needed to continue providing care for the uninsured.

Forty class action lawsuits against not-for-profit healthcare organizations in more than 20 states claim that because the named organizations charge uninsured patients full price for services, which can often be more than that paid by the insurance of other patients, and/or because they aggressively seek payment from low-income patients, they are in breach of an implied contract to provide charity care in exchange for tax-exempt status.

In the face of this storm, Alegent Health remains steadfast in its responsible delivery of high-quality, compassionate care to every person and community it serves.

Alegent Health's charity care and financial assistance programs provide compassionate, generous, appropriate service to our uninsured and underinsured patients.  More about our charity care programs....