Primary Enterprise 

CHS Enterprise

$82 million

$113 million

Costs of discounts extended to uninsured patients 

$15 million

$25 million

Bad debt costs by patients who do not pay for services 

$25 million

$82 million

Losses incurred by serving Medicare patients* 

$69 million

$135 million

Losses incurred by serving Medicaid patients*  

$59 million

$97 million

Services that meet a strong community need, such as psychiatric care, but do not pay for themselves and would typically be cut based on financial considerations alone  

$29 milllion

$32 million

Costs of medical education and research;**  plus costs of non-billed medical services, and cash and in-kind  contributions by CHS to local nonprofits and charities 

$118 million

$127 million

Total value of uncompensated care and other community benefits provided by CHS facilities   

$397 million

$611 million

The $611 million total in the CHS enterprise column represents nearly 18 percent of the combined operating expenses for the entire System. This amount is high by national standards.

* Medicare and Medicaid programs do not reimburse hospitals in a manner that compensates for the actual cost of treating their beneficiaries. Hospitals cannot turn these patients away or negotiate higher reimbursements. Government payers recognize this fact and expect hospitals to make up the difference through efficiencies and from other revenue sources. The financing of this unpaid government debt is considered a community benefit.

** Carolinas Medical Center operates Carolinas College of Health Sciences, Mercy School of Nursing and Cannon Research Center. It also provides fellowships and residency training for over 200 physicians in 15 medical specialties. Its physicians and staff also take a leading role in conducting hundreds of clinical studies to test new medicines and treatments in a variety of specialties such as cardiology, neurology, oncology and pediatrics.  The net loss from these programs is considered a Community Benefit.