Connecticut Hospitals Host Community Benefit Advocacy Day at the Capitol, CHA Releases New Reports

On Tuesday, May 13, Connecticut hospitals and health systems from across the state convened at the Capitol for the Connecticut Hospital Association’s (CHA) Community Benefit Advocacy Day.  Policymakers, advocates, and the public joined Connecticut hospitals and their local partners as they showcased some of the many ways they collaborate to serve and improve the well-being of our communities. 

During this expo-style event, legislators, officials, and stakeholders learned about joint programs and initiatives that local hospitals and community partners have developed and deployed together to address upstream, root-cause social, economic, and environmental drivers of health.  Through this day of advocacy, hospitals came together to highlight the many contributions to their communities and the potential to amplify their collective impact.

Representatives from Bristol Health, Connecticut Children’s, Griffin Health, Hartford HealthCare, Middlesex Health, Nuvance Health, Stamford Health, Trinity Health Of New England, and Yale New Haven Health educated visitors on myriad programs designed to meet patients where they are — physically, emotionally, and financially — including access to doulas, kids swimming and car safety, injury and violence prevention, financial assistance, community health outreach, street medicine, and mobile pharmacies, clinics, and food pantries, to name a few.   In the halls of the Capitol, hospitals also performed blood pressure screenings, handed out Narcan kits, and distributed informational flyers and fact sheets.

Ahead of Community Benefit Advocacy Day, CHA also released two new reports by the international accounting firm EY (also known as Ernst and Young) detailing the value of community benefits provided by Connecticut not-for-profit hospitals.  The analyses concluded that Connecticut hospitals dedicate a higher percentage of expenses to providing community benefits compared to other New England states and the nation (see analysis here); and the value of community benefits provided by Connecticut not-for-profit hospitals exceeds the value of their tax-exempt status (see analysis here).  For every dollar’s worth of tax exemption, Connecticut hospitals delivered double the value in benefits to their communities in 2021 and 2022.

“Connecticut hospitals are cornerstones of their communities, and the benefits they provide are impactful in improving public health and advancing health equity.  However, there are barriers that make this work ever more challenging,” said Jennifer Jackson, CEO, CHA.  “Low Medicaid reimbursement rates limit access, drive up patient costs, and strain healthcare providers — while communities struggle with chronic disease and generational health challenges.  Hospitals are working with partners to advocate for Medicaid reforms that not only raise reimbursement rates but also invest in strengthening and expanding multi-sector health partnerships focused on preventing chronic disease and improving community well-being.  Supporting Medicaid redesign supports growing and strengthening the community benefit work hospitals and their local partners are engaged in every day to improve lives and create healthier communities.”

Click here to read the full press release on the new EY reports detailing the value of community benefits provided by Connecticut not-for-profit hospitals.

Click here for a summary of the two reports.

Click here to explore more examples of Connecticut hospitals’ community benefit programs and initiatives by category.

Click here to learn more about CHA’s Medicaid redesign framework.