A new Fair Share Spending Report from the Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank, listed Wellstar’s hospitals among the top in the nation for financial assistance and community investment. The recognition is based on what the Institute estimates Wellstar’s invested in the community compared to its 2021 tax exemption, resulting in what the Institute calls a “fair share” surplus. According to the Institute, only 20 percent of nonprofit hospitals nationwide were recognized for their fair share surplus.
Lown calculated Fair Share Spending by comparing the estimated value of private, nonprofit hospitals’ tax exemptions to the amount spent on financial assistance and meaningful community investment—including community health improvement activities, cash and in-kind contributions to community groups, community building activities, and subsidized health services.
This report follows a recent recognition from Modern Healthcare noting that Wellstar provides the second-highest percentage of charity care among large nonprofit U.S. health systems. According to Modern Healthcare, Wellstar devoted 6.11% of its operating expenses in fiscal year 2022 to charity care.