Your Money at St. Luke's
One very real benefit of philanthropic support is that it helps make new medical technology available. Some of the more recent advanced medical technology St. Luke's offers its patients include:
SPECT / CT Technology: The First in St. Louis
"The SPECT / CT is an incredible breakthrough. For the first time, we are able to see the three-dimensional images of metabolic functions offered by the SPECT along with correlative structural images provided by CT. Together they allow us to more precisely locate and determine the extent of the disease or trauma." - Gabriel DeSimon, MD, Director of Nuclear Medicine
Trilogy Linear Accelerator: Delivers the most advanced radiation treatments available
It allows for the treatment of very small lesions and tumors that are close to vital structures while avoiding or minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
da Vinci Robotic-Assisted Surgical System: Improves complex, minimally invasive surgery
"This technology at St. Luke's offers patients important benefits, including shorter hospital stays, less pain and lower risk of surgical site infection." -David Krajcovic, MD, Chief of Surgery
Digital Mammography: Latest diagnostic technology for breast cancer
Digital mammography is more sensitive than film mammography images and uses less radiation.
Trends in Healthcare Philanthropy
The Future of Healthcare
- Healthcare costs will continue to rise
- Healthcare workforce shortages will continue
- Advances and applications for prevention, diagnosis and treatment will improve
- Environmental issues and globalization will continue to place emphasis on improving public health
- Consumers will be better informed to make decisions
- Transparency - quality and safety, cost and value will be publicly reported
- New models of prevention, diagnosis and care will emerge, which will demand changes in education and training of physicians
- Leaders must continue to address changes facing non-profit hospitals
- Philanthropy is essential to secure the successful future of healthcare
American Healthcare Vital Statistics
- The U.S. expends approximately $2.2 trillion on healthcare
- By 2026, U.S. healthcare costs are anticipated to increase to $4.1 trillion
- Healthcare currently accounts for 15% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP)
- 47 million, including 8 million children, are uninsured
- IN 2007, the U.S. government spent $900 billion on healthcare
Major Drivers Increasing Healthcare Costs
- The cost of medical technologies (pharmaceuticals, biologics, diagnostics, medical devices) and treatment approaches continue to increase
- Prescription drug sales average approximately $250 billion per year in the U.S.
- Prescription drug sales average approximately $500 billion per year worldwide
- Medicare reimbursements continue to decline, causing a shift in costs to hospitals, physicians and patients
- The American healthcare model is flawed, with excessive provider inefficiencies
- Excessive health plan profits
- Legal issues and the excessive cost of physician insurance
- Aging baby-boomers are the largest consumers of healthcare
- Growing number of under and uninsured
IRA Rollover Bill Passes Senate
The Senate passed an amended version of the Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008. The bill includes charitable giving extenders and incentives.
Charitable provisions that expired at the end of 2007 are extended through December 31, 2009 including:
- Tax-free distributions from IRA plans for charitable purposes
- Basis adjustment to stock of S corporations making charitable contributions of property
The amount allowed as a charitable deduction in any taxable year may not exceed ten percent of the corporation's taxable income or fifty percent of an individual's adjusted gross income (AGI).
Please consult your financial and legal advisors before making financial investment decisions.
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