Like the majority of hospitals in the United States, New Hanover Regional Medical Center operates as a not-for-profit health care system.
While there’s no legal difference between not-for-profit and nonprofit groups, a not-for-profit organization typically makes its money through business operations.
In 2003, about 62 percent of the 3,900 nonfederal, acute care hospitals in the country were not-for-profit, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. For-profit hospitals made up 18 percent, and government hospitals made up 20 percent.
Still, New Hanover Regional is a public hospital, so there is a board of trustees appointed by county commissioners that makes policy decisions for the facility and includes a county commissioner as an ex-officio member.
Novant Medical Center, which runs Brunswick Community Hospital, is a private not-for-profit system. And Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport is a township-owned hospital and relies on taxes paid by residents in the Smithville Township.
Though New Hanover Regional bills the government health programs Medicare and Medicaid to treat those qualifying patients, it does not directly receive local tax dollars.
UPDATE: MyReporter received this question on May 31, 2012: Who owns New Hanover Regional Medical Center? Who pays the operating costs and do any profits come back to the community?
The response came from Erin Balzotti, media relations coordinator for NHRMC:
“New Hanover Regional Medical Center is a public, not-for-profit healthcare system that receives no local tax dollars. It is self-sustaining, with operating costs coming from revenues and philanthropy. New Hanover Regional Medical Center provides more than $120 million a year in uncompensated care for the community, often to those who would not otherwise have access to health care.”
RELATED LINKS:
How does New Hanover Regional Medical Center plan to use 2 properties on Glen Meade Road?
Where does the money for NHRMC CEO Jack Barto’s salary come from?
Date posted: September 15, 2009
User-contributed question by:
Anonymous
The Regional Medical Center receives no direct local tax dollar support BUT as a not-for-profit, all it’s properties are tax-exempt and are therefore taxpayer supported.