Kaiser Permanente Releases Community Benefit Snapshot

Report highlights impact of $1.9 billion investment in community benefit

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Sep 29, 2014, 12:00 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente has recently released our annual Community Benefit Snapshot, a report detailing the organization's commitment to transforming how the world thinks about and delivers on health, and making health services accessible to all. The report highlights Kaiser Permanente's $1.9 billion investment in 2013, and how the organization supports people, health, the environment, knowledge, and communities.

"Kaiser Permanente's commitment to Community Benefit has never been more relevant or important," said Cynthia Telles, PhD, chair, 2013 community benefit committee of the board of directors. "Our investment in the communities we serve ensures support for low income and vulnerable populations, as well as other critical functions such as research, eliminating disparities in health and addressing the environmental sources of ill health."

In 2013, our nation witnessed the beginning of a dramatic expansion in health coverage. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ACA, has extended coverage to about 10 million people so far, and those numbers will continue to grow in the next several years. Even so, as many as 20 million people will remain uninsured. They will need community benefit in the form of medical financial assistance and charitable health coverage.

Kaiser Permanente is committed to providing charity care and charitable coverage directly to people in need. In addition, Kaiser Permanente provides assistance to "safety net" care organizations such as public hospitals, community clinics, federally qualified health centers, school-based health centers, and public health departments - knowing that they are important providers for the most vulnerable populations we serve. This is just part of the significant work Kaiser Permanente to improve lives, health, the environment, knowledge, and communities.

To read the full Community Benefit Snapshot, visit www.share.kaiserpermanente.org/cbsnapshot2013.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve approximately 9.5 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

For More Information

Caitlin Cobb, (510) 271-5955, [email protected]

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SOURCE Kaiser Permanente