Icon of a hospital building with a cross symbol on it, set within a purple circular background.
A solid purple shape with diagonal edges.
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Charity Healthcare

Charity care systems are meant to reinvest in underserved communities by providing affordable, comprehensive care to uninsured and underinsured patients, but many hospitals fail to deliver on this promise. Instead, they often shut down essential departments in at-risk areas while expanding services in wealthier communities to maximize revenue.

Profits from the 340B program are often redirected toward hospital consolidation in affluent neighborhoods. This misallocation and pattern of closures leave vulnerable populations without access to critical care, deepening health disparities and betraying the mission of nonprofit healthcare.

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FAQ

  • Charity Healthcare is a model where providers commit to serving vulnerable communities. It means putting the community’s health first by reinvesting in care where it’s needed most.

  • When healthcare providers follow their mission, they focus on improving access for those at-risk individuals. This means strengthening urban hospitals and clinics so every community member can access essential care.

  • Adhering to a clear mission means that providers remain true to their promise of serving the underserved. This focus helps reduce disparities by ensuring that resources go toward community care rather than upscale amenities.

  • Urban hospitals often serve larger populations of at-risk individuals. Investing in these facilities directly benefits communities that need more support rather than expanding into areas where care may already be sufficient.

  • The call to action is simple: we need more clinics and community-based care in at-risk neighborhoods. This approach prioritizes accessible, essential services over high-end developments aimed at competing with private hospitals in upscale areas.

An informational flyer from OurHealthEquity.org titled "Our Health Equity: Issue Guide," addressing healthcare disparities. It highlights issues like hospital closures in underserved communities and the misallocation of revenue from nonprofit hospitals, with purple icons and text.