Ssm Policy Institute

“Insurance premium - 436;”

“Due to/from Affiliates - BOY:436,EOY:0;”

“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 8-member body comprised of three franciscan sisters of mary and five lay people who collectively hold certain reserved powers over ssmh. Headquartered in st louis, missouri, ssmh owns and operates 19 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 31,000 people and is affiliated with more than 8,500 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 has reviewed issues and recommended policy positions to ssm health's system leadership in the past. Ssmpi drafted position papers that were shared with system leaders to be used with legislators and community leaders. They also were 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.”