California Nurses Act Against Hospital System’s Poor Charitable Care

May 30, 2007

Sharp HealthCare in San Diego should be stripped of its non-profit status because it provides far less charity care than its two peers, says United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/ UHCP), which represents 3,300 registered nurses employed by the hospital system.

Daily, they witness uninsured patients falling through the cracks. Some 47 million Americans – including nearly 7 million Californians – lack health insurance, and rising costs are busting state and local budgets. 

“The people who make the decisions about charity care have no contact with patients,” says Chris McGovern, RN, vice president of the nurses’ union at Sharp. Yet, she adds, nurses “hear the heartbreaking stories every day. This is another example of how Sharp does not partner with the nurses to meet the needs of its patients.”

While researching Sharp’s financial information in preparation for now-ongoing contract negotiations, the union discovered that Sharp provides the second-lowest level of charity care among all California health systems. In fact, the union found that Sharp’s charitable care ranks last even when compared to California’s for-profit hospital systems, which have no legal obligation to provide charity care.

UNAC/UHCP has filed a complaint asking the state Board of Equalization, Attorney General and Controller to investigate Sharp’s tax-favorable status in light of its inadequate charity care.

“As community members, we want Sharp to prove its commitment to San Diego families and increase the amount of charity care it provides,” says UNAC/UHCP Pres. Kathy J. Sackman, RN, who is also an International vice president.

Read an executive summary or full text of the report on Sharp’s lack of charity care.