PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

For Release:
November 22, 2013

Mary E. O'Dowd, M.P.H.
Commissioner

For Further Information Contact:
Office of Communications
(609) 984-7160

Charity Care Documented by NJ Hospitals Increased Slightly Last Year

 Nearly $998 Million Documented is 3% Decrease from 2010

In an effort to enhance hospitals' regional planning efforts, the Department of Health (DOH) today released a report on the nearly $998 million in charity care documented by New Jersey hospitals last year as well as a multi-year analysis of charity care by market-share.

According to the report by the Department's Office of Healthcare Financing, the amount of charity care documented in 2012 represents a 3% decrease from 2010, when hospitals documented just over $1 billion in charity care.

Documented charity care remained relatively flat in 2012, increasing $2.5 million from $995 million to $997.6 million. In 2012, $543 million, or 54%, of the charity care documented, was for inpatient care while $455 million, or 46%, was for outpatient care.

There is wide variation by hospital in the amount of charity care documented, ranging from $82.9 million at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson-accounting for 8.3% of the total documented charity care statewide-- to $0.277 million by Saint Claire's Sussex, which has since closed.

The report provides trend analysis by county from 2007 to 2012 as well as the market share analysis, complimenting the multi-year trend data. At the county level, the Essex and Hudson regions had the largest decrease in documented charity care of $12.9 million and 10.6 million, respectively between 2011 and 2012 while Mercer/Hunterdon region experienced the largest increase of $11 million between 2011 and 2012.

Hospitals in many of the state's urban areas-including Camden, Newark, Paterson and Hudson County-reported an average of $23.3 million in documented charity care, compared to an average for all other hospitals of $9.9 million

Thirty-two hospitals documented more than $10 million each in charity care last year, accounting for 78 percent of all documented charity care statewide.

New Jersey residents with incomes below 301% of the federal poverty level who do not qualify for Medicaid or any other insurance are eligible to receive free or reduced rate charity care services for both inpatient and outpatient care. New Jersey hospitals are required by state law to provide all necessary care to patients regardless of ability to pay. Hospitals submit claims to the state priced at the Medicaid rate and DOH audits these claims quarterly.

 A copy of the report is available at:
http://www.nj.gov/health/charitycare/documents/cc_reportdoc2012.pdf

 

Last Reviewed: 11/22/2013