Ssm Policy Institute

“The sole corporate member of the corporation is SSM Health Care Corporation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. SSM Policy Institute and SSM Health Care Corporation are part of the integrated health care system known as SSM Health.”

“The member has the power to appoint and remove the members of the Board of Directors.”

“The Member has the following powers: a. To establish and change the mission, philosophy and values of the Corporation b. To appoint and remove the members of the Board of Directors c. To appoint and remove the President of the Corporation d. To approve amendments to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Corporation e. To approve the merger, consolidation or dissolution of the Corporation f. To approve the sale, conveyance, assignment, transfer, alienation, pledge, encumbrance, mortgage or lease of real property or any interest therein of the Corporation in accordance with the policies approved by the Member g. To approve i) the acquisition of real property or any interest therein or ii) the acquisition or disposition of another legal entity or an ownership interest in another legal entity, or iii) the formation of a subsidiary of the Corporation, in each case in accordance with policies approved by the Member h. To establish centralized employee benefit, insurance, investment, financing, corporate responsibility, performance assessment and improvement and other operational and support programs, to require the participation of the Corporation in such programs, and to authorize the opening and closing of bank accounts and investment accounts in the name of the Corporation in connection with such programs. I. To approve the strategic, financial and human resources plan of the Corporation j. To appoint the auditor and corporate counsel for the Corporation k. To authorize and approve borrowing money and entering into financial guaranties by the Corporation, including actions relating to the formation, joining, operation, withdrawal from and termination of a credit group or an obligated group and the granting of security interests in the property of the Corporation l. To approve the transfer of assets by the Corporation to any entity other than the Member, other than transfers made in the ordinary course of operations of the Corporation which will not require Member approval”

“Accounting/finance personnel at each SSMH (SSM Health System) entity, in conjunction with system finance personnel, prepare information and supporting schedules that are used to prepare the Form 990. This information is then reviewed by a supervisor/manager and sent to the system office for final review and coordination of the system level Form 990 information. SSMH personnel prepare the Form 990 and the return is reviewed by the System Director - Tax and Compliance prior to filing. A complete copy of the return is provided to the Board at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.”

“Board members are required to complete a conflict of interest disclosure statement annually. The President and Secretary to the Board oversee compliance with this requirement. All Board members with an identified conflict of interest abstain from Board discussions and votes when applicable. Employees with purchasing authority and/or ability to influence purchasing decisions are assigned the conflict of interest disclosure course (COI) which must be completed on line. Periodically through the year, the entity's corporate responsibility contact person (with the help of the entity's learning management system coordinator) sends department managers a list of employees who have not yet completed their COI so they can remind the employees and ensure the employees have time in their schedule to complete the required course. Resolution of any conflicts that are disclosed must be documented and kept on file at the entity. Supervisors verify required course completion prior to year end.”

“The year-end audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited quarterly consolidated financial statements for the SSM Health System are made available to the public on SSM Health's website. The organization's articles of incorporation are available on the Missouri Secretary of State's website. Copies of the Form 990 and the organization's conflict of interest policy are available to the public upon request.”

“Since it was founded in 1872 by catholic sisters, ssm health (ssmh) has existed to meet the health needs of the communities it serves. As of november 15, 2013, with vatican approval, the franciscan sisters of mary transitioned sponsorship of ssmh to ssm health ministries. Ssm health ministries is an independent 6 member body comprised of three franciscan sisters of mary and three lay people who collectively hold certain reserved powers over ssmh. Headquartered in st louis, missouri, ssmh owns and operates 18 acute care hospitals, one children's hospital, two long-term care facilities, an extensive network of physician practice operations, and other health care businesses located primarily in missouri, oklahoma, wisconsin, and illinois. The health system employees approximately 30,000 people and is affiliated with more than 8,000 physicians. In the tradition of its founding sisters, ssmh strives to fulfill its mission by providing exceptional health care to everyone who comes to its hospitals, regardless of their ability to pay. The ssm policy institute (ssmpi) was created to identify health care issues of special concern to ssm health (ssmh) especially in the area of quality and access to health care and to educate legislators and the communities served by ssmh. The ssmpi board reviews issues and recommends policy positions to ssm health's system leadership. Ssmpi position papers are drafted and shared with system leaders to use with legislators and community leaders. They also are shared with congressional members and staff as well as lawmakers at the state and local levels. The ssmpi also held legislative forums in st. Louis and in washington, d.c. With congressional staff to discuss access to health care in greater depth. The ssmpi has drafted a number of position papers on topics ranging from community benefit to the importance of the electronic health record in delivering quality health care outcomes to suggestions on how to strengthen the medicaid program. Several years prior to the consideration of health care reform at the national level, the ssmpi drafted ssm health's principles to guide health care reform, based on the system's mission and values.”