Two Des Moines hospital systems that agreed to relax their charity care policies last year miscalculated the demand, reports The Des Moines Register. After a coalition of religious organizations called A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy asked the hospital systems to give discounts to the uninsured and increase financial assistance to low-income patients, Mercy Medical Center spent $9.7 million on charity care during the past fiscal year, which was 70% more than the hospital system budgeted. And Iowa Health-Des Moines will spend approximately $9 million this calendar year on charity care--29% more than budgeted. Several thousand additional patients applied for financial assistance as a result of the more liberal policies. Both hospital systems said they will continue offering the extra financial assistance.
