The series measured, for the first time, the estimated tax breaks received by Michigan hospitals and the charity care they provided, culled from annual reports and health system data. Most importantly, the series helped consumers know how to apply for charity care and discounts for prior bills.
The series also gave attention to the need for hospitals to publicize charity care policies and discounts on big medical debt. Several local health systems now clearly publicize this information on their Web sites, which they did not do at the time the stories were published. The state hospital association has also begun to post charges and average payments for 50 procedures at 146 Michigan hospitals. The series was not responsible for the association’s new database, but contributed to decisions that lead to the association’s decision to post the data.