News
New community benefit law won’t alter Vail Health’s priorities
It could, however, add administrative burden and increase health care costs
Nonprofit hospitals in Colorado that receive federal, state and local tax exemptions are expected to provide a certain amount of community benefit. And starting in August 2023, these hospitals — including Vail Health — will have new reporting requirements for how they spend toward “community benefit.”
The new requirements are part of a bill that Gov. Jared Polis signed into law on Wednesday, May 10, meant to bring about greater transparency for nonprofit health organizations.
The need for the legislation came out of the 2023 Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing annual report on hospital community benefit accountability report. The department reported that Colorado nonprofit hospitals invested “$965 million in community benefits in 2020-21, not including Medicaid shortfall.”
(Conversely, a Colorado Health Association report on hospital community benefit spending reported that Colorado hospitals “directly invested more than $1.9 billion into the health and well-being of their communities” in 2021.)
While the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing acknowledged that these contributions were “significant” in its report, it saw a need for the state to “improve the state’s understanding of where the community dollars were actually invested while increasing hospitals’ transparency and accountability to their communities going forward.”
READ THE FULL VAIL DAILY ARTICLE to find out more about Vail Health and community benefit. >
More News
-
New!
More
What’s The Connection Between Phone Addiction And Teen Depression?
Most adults spend too much time on their phones, and it is harming their mental health. Dr. Charles Raison, psychiatrist and director of the Vail Health Behavioral Health Innovation Center, attributes some of the cause for rising depression and suicide rates to phone addiction. He wants to build a study at the center to examine how removing phones from the hands of teens may help their mental health.
-
New!
More
The Bitter Truth About Sugar
We are a nation of sugar addicts. In 1900, the average American consumed 4 pounds of sugar each year. The current average sugar consumption in our country is an astronomical 150-170 pounds per person each year. This hard truth has contributed to an obesity rate that is 35.7% for adults.
-
New!
More
Body Composition: Why It Matters More Than a Number on the Scale
In the world of health and fitness, weight often steals the spotlight. We celebrate weight loss milestones, obsess over numbers on the scale, and let weight loss/gain dictate how we feel about our progress. But there's a far more accurate and meaningful indicator of health and fitness: body composition.