Meridian Hospice

“Executive committee the bylaws provide that an executive committee may be appointed. However no executive committee has been formed nor did such a committee hold authority at any time during 2015.”

“Description of business relationships as gail hasbrouck, james doheny, and denise keefe are either directors or officers of wholly owned advocate entities, they are deemed to have a business relationship pursuant to the instructions for form 990. As gail hasbrouck, james doheny, denise m. Keefe, and hugh robinson are either directors or officers of wholly owned advocate entities, they are deemed to have a business relationship pursuant to the instructions for form 990.”

“Bylaws bylaws provide for corporate members.”

“Board of directors meridian hospice has corporate members who elect its directors.”

“Reserve powers the following reserve powers identified in the bylaws require the approval of the corporate member, ehs home health care service inc. (ein: 36-2913108): the amendment or restatement of the articles of incorporation of the corporation or the bylaws; the merger, consolidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation; the contracting of loans or issuing of evidences of indebtedness; the making of investments; the sale or purchase by, transfer to or by, or leasing to or by the corporation, of assets with an aggregate value in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars; the payment of a claim or settlement in excess of three million dollars; the adoption of capital and operating budgets; any other matters which may be specified from time to time by the corporate member by amendment to the bylaws; and such other matters as may be required by law to be submitted to the corporate member, or as to which the board of directors determines by resolution that such submission is advisable.”

“Tax preparation process advocate's tax preparation process includes ongoing consultation with its outside tax consulting firm and tax legal counsel, both of which possess expertise in health care and tax-exempt return preparation, to advise and assist with preparation of the form 990. These advisors worked closely with the organization's finance, tax, and legal associates and other members of the organization's team assembled to participate in the preparation of the form 990. The form 990 is reviewed by finance management, the tax manager, the vp of finance/corporate controller, the chief financial officer, and advocate's outside tax consulting firm and tax legal counsel. Prior to presenting the form 990 to the board of director's audit committee in november, the organization's team, including its advisors, met frequently to discuss and review drafts of the form 990. At the november audit committee meeting, the vp of finance/corporate controller and chief financial officer coordinated a review of the form 990 with committee members, as the audit committee is the committee of the board of directors charged with oversight of audit and tax matters. The vp of finance/corporate controller and chief financial officer responded to the audit committee members' questions and provided the opportunity for detailed discussion of the form 990. The changes identified were incorporated, and then a complete copy of the final form 990 was provided to each member of the organization's board of directors before the form 990 was filed.”

“Conflict of interest the organization's conflict of interest policy applies to various people, including members of advocate's board of directors, governing councils, officers, associates, volunteers, and medical staff members with administrative responsibilities. Annually, the compliance department sends this policy and the advocate code of business conduct to a range of individuals who may be in a position to exercise substantial interest over a particular matter (defined as "interested persons"). They are required to read the policies and provide a disclosure statement to the compliance department, which identifies activities and relationships that could potentially give rise to a conflict of interest. The chief compliance officer reviews the disclosures and provides a report to the system business conduct (compliance) committee, executive management team and the audit committee of the board for review. The report is then provided, in relevant part, to the site chief executive officers. Potential conflicts are reviewed by the compliance department on a case by case basis. Follow up procedures conducted are unique to the given circumstance, and may include reviewing the potential conflict with the interested person, or investigating the matter in consultation with the interested person's supervisor and/or site management. In circumstances where the interested person is not a member of the board, or governing council, or a committee thereof, or a person of interest, if it is determined that there is an actual conflict of interest, the supervisor of the individual is responsible for making an appropriate response, potentially including a restriction of the individual's job duties with respect to the matter giving rise to the conflict.”

“Financial statements availability the organization makes its financial statements available to the public through the following websites: - dacbond.com (digital assurance certification llc), - emma.msrb.org (electronic municipal market access). The organization does not make its governing documents or conflict of interest policy available to the public.”

“Governing body advocate health care is an integrated delivery system including not-for-profit community hospitals, which have community boards. Meridian hospice is a hospice organization, which supports advocate health care and its affiliates and is comprised mostly of meridian hospice employees. This board structure has not changed significantly since the organization applied for exempt status. Meridian hospice is subject to the policies and procedures of advocate health care and oversight by the advocate health care network community board members.”