(CHICAGO) — Rush University Medical Center and its affiliated Rush Oak Park Hospital provided more than $220 million in community benefits in fiscal year 2011 — an increase of roughly $20 million from the previous year.

The majority of Rush's investment in the community, more than $143 million, covered costs for unreimbursed but much needed care that Rush provides to its patients. That includes charity care and financial assistance, which totaled more than $18 million, and subsidized care for Medicare and Medicaid patients, which totaled more than $86 million. Rush is among the top 10 hospital providers of Medicaid days in the state. Nearly $39 million were attributed to expected payments that were not made for health services provided by Rush, also known as forgiven or bad debt.

Rush provided nearly $43 million to support the education and training of future physicians, nurses and allied health workers since tuition and grants do not cover all the costs. In addition, the Medical Center provided more than $18 million to subsidize the costs of biomedical research not covered by private and federal grants.

Rush is able to provide this level of community benefits because it is a not-for-profit organization. Rush reinvests any revenues in excess of expenses back into the organization for needed facilities, equipment and new program support, as well as the activities described above and in its Community Benefits report.

"We strongly believe that quality health care should be accessible to everyone," said Dr. Larry Goodman, CEO of Rush University Medical Center. "Rush’s commitment to the community is long-standing and has grown to include many hundreds of students, faculty and employees involved with a wide range of programs to better the health and well-being of the communities surrounding Rush."

Rush reaffirmed its commitment to the near West Side and to Chicago when it opened its new hospital building, the Tower, earlier this year. The hospital building replaces aged facilities that are no longer suitable for modern patient care and unable to accommodate new technology. The Tower includes an emergency department that is nearly double the size of the previous emergency room, better serving growing community and area needs. New building construction at Rush over the last several years has provided new opportunities for local vendors and community members who were employed through the project.

The Rush University Medical Center community benefits report is available online at www.rush.edu/cbr. To obtain a printed version of the community benefits report, call 312-942-5579.