Purchaser: Local Governments Program: Local tax support of hospitals County Indigent Health Care Spending
Counties that do not have hospital districts are required to report their medical expenditures as part of the County Indigent Health Care program (CIHCP). All or some portion of 140 counties in 1998 had to operate a CIHCP for indigent residents of all or any portion of the county not served by a public hospital or hospital district. The county government administers the CIHCP.Most of the funding for the CIHCP comes from local tax dollars. In 1998, if a county spent 10 percent of its general revenue tax levy for mandatory services received by eligible county residents, it qualified for state assistance. Legislative changes in 1999 lowered this level to 8 percent.
In 1998, these counties spent nearly $39 million. Counties were reimbursed $1.5 million by the state.
Other Local Taxes
In addition, counties and cities may directly fund hospitals. The Texas Department of Health annual hospital survey shows county hospitals received nearly $8 million in tax appropriations in 1998. Nonprofit hospitals received $12.5 million–more than $11 million of that was for Brackenridge Hospital, a city of Austin hospital administered by the nonprofit Daughters of Charity Health Services.Texas Total, Fiscal 1998
Amount Spent: Reported by Indigent Health Care Counties $37,375,812 Other Local Taxes Paid to Hospitals $20,480,280 Total for Other Local Taxes $57,856,092 Type of Funding: Local Revenues
Source: Texas Department of Health