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Incorporated in mid 2003, the Alliance's sole purpose is to protect and enhance
the abilities of nonprofit health care organizations to serve society and their
individual communities. Through research, public education, and advocacy, the
Alliance seeks to provide a strong, cohesive and persistent "voice" for a wide
range of nonprofit health care organizations sharing many common goals and
challenges--hospitals, health insurers, nursing homes,
home care providers, and others. In addition, through education and other types of programs, the
Alliance seeks to enhance the performance of nonprofit health care
organizations in carrying out their unique roles and responsibilities. |
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Nonprofit health care organizations, whether involved in the financing and/or delivery of services,
have long been the backbone of the American health care system. The reasons for governments’
and businesses’ traditional support of this "third sector" lie in a number of basic beliefs and values
held by most Americans:
Health care, like education, is a "public good" or "social service", essential to human dignity and the
pursuit of happiness. |
• A healthy society rests on the health of its citizens.
• Health care needs differ locally and are best prioritized and addressed
within the political, social and economic fabric of each community.
• Government cannot and should not try to meet all of society’s needs,
and "running things" is generally best left to the private sector. |
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The overriding purpose of nonprofit health care organizations is to "do good" for the benefit of their
communities. Unlike investor-owned organizations, which are economically driven and legally
obligated to do well financially for their owners, with profits primary, nonprofit health care
organizations are obligated along with government at all levels to meet society’s needs for medical
education and research and to advocate for and meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of
their communities. Profits of nonprofit health care organizations do not inure to the benefit of
individuals and, while necessary over the long run, are secondary. |
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With an economy in crisis, rising health care costs, government and business cutbacks in their
commitments to health care, pressures at all levels for tax relief, and ever increasing numbers of
uninsured and underinsured Americans, never have nonprofit health care organizations been more
needed to fill the gaps. Yet, their ability to do so is severely challenged by a variety of forces, including
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• General ignorance on the part of the general public, opinion leaders and Wall Street (and even within parts
of the health care field) about the unique role, responsibilities and performance of nonprofit health care
organizations.
• Periodic government attempts to tighten or eliminate tax exemptions.
• Pressures from within or externally to convert nonprofit health care organizations to investor-owned
companies.
• Entry into communities of investor-owned specialty providers that unnecessarily duplicate existing capacity
of services that nonprofits rely on to help subsidize care to the uninsured and other vulnerable groups.
• Increasing needs for capital, to support increased uncompensated care, new information systems and other
technology advances, renovation of facilities and equipment, etc.
• Public controversies and bad press for nonprofit health care organizations as a whole, caused by real and
alleged unethical or illegal behaviors by a few. |
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In light of the above, the Alliance seeks to:
• Demonstrate the value of nonprofits to regain public understanding and respect.
• Bring better balance to public policy discussions about nonprofit health care.
• Help nonprofits enhance their value to the communities they serve and society.
In pursuing these objectives, the Alliance will collaborate wherever possible with other alliances and
associations that share common interests and constituencies. The Alliance believes in synergy, and
in building upon, not duplicating or re-inventing, the efforts of others. |
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