where everyone has equal and affordable access to quality care. A world free of health disparities. A place where good health is a reality for all. This is our vision. Ambitious? You bet. Achievable? We absolutely believe so. And it's a goal that each and every one of our employees and physicians are working toward every day.
As a nonprofit organization, we understand that when our neighborhoods are healthy, everyone benefits. We are committed to spreading health by sharing our knowledge and assets; strengthening the safety net; promoting policies and environmental changes that advocate healthy eating and active living; providing care and coverage for low-income, uninsured, and underserved individuals; and working toward the elimination of disparities in health care. The year 2008 saw our largest investment in community benefit ever: more than $1 billion. We also continued our Charitable Health Coverage programs, which covered care for more than 100,000 members in 2008.
As our country's policymakers explore the idea of health care reform, they continue to turn to Kaiser Permanente as a model of integration, aligned incentives, and coordinated care. Why? Because our business structure ensures that we are all relentlessly focused on improving the health of our members and communities. And we couldn't be prouder.
To share just a few highlights of our community benefit, in 2008 we
- cared for 137,489 children through the Children's Health Insurance Plan,
- engaged 40 communities around the country in our community health initiatives,
- published 701 medical research studies,
- used live drama, comedy, and music to teach 557,426 students to make smart choices about food, exercise, and sexuality,
- and sponsored more than 35* regular farmers' markets at our medical centers and business facilities across the country. Find one near you.
And that's just the beginning—the story continues every second of every day.
Read our report: Community Benefit Annual Report 2008
Learn more about our community involvement.
*As of October 2009