Why Support Denver Health

Denver Health is seeking to establish a stronger financial foundation which will allow it to invest in its employees and infrastructure.

Hospital finances are complex but the current model under which Denver Health must conduct business curtails its ability to meet the growing demand for services and the importance of investing in updating its facilities.

Denver Health has spent billions in the past few decades funding health care in our community for those who cannot afford it themselves: veterans experiencing homelessness, struggling seniors, children whose parents cannot afford health care.

Uncompensated Care

As Denver’s only health care system in the metro area that treats all Denver County residents regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, Denver Health provides $135 million in uncompensated care – which are health care costs paid for by Denver Health itself on behalf of those patients who cannot afford their care or treatments or where government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, do not cover the full cost of care.

For the past 10 years, Denver Health has received a relatively flat payment of $30.7 million from the city. There has been no growth to this payment despite:

Increase in population of Denver
Increase in patients experiencing homelessness
Increase in the value of our workforce
Increase in health care costs

Operating Expenses

Denver Health is able to serve all these patients and the community, but health care is not an easy business right now. Costs are increasing rapidly and although we have some privately insured, the majority of our patients are paid through public programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, and their payments have not kept pace with the increasing costs of: staffing, supplies and pharmaceuticals.

Denver Health needs additional funding to:

Ensure Denver Health is ready to serve all of Denver in case of the next emergency or public health outbreak.
Ensure Denver Health can retain and attract high-quality staff by paying at least market-average wages.