RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia hospitals delivered $4.5 billion in community benefits in 2024, per a new report from Virginia Hospital Healthcare Association (VHHA), which is marking its 100th year. The latest report, released on Monday, Jan. 26, shows that hospitals across the Commonwealth prov ided more than $4.5 billion in community support in 2024, including uncompensated care, community investments, taxes paid and other contributions. According to the report, Virginia hospitals generated $68.8 billion in positive economic activity in 2024, employing more than 130,000 people and providing $13.7 billion in payroll and benefits. The VHHA noted in the report that hospitals accommodated 4.45 million patient days, handled more than 813,000 inpatient admissions and accounted for nearly 92% of voluntary and involuntary behavioral health admissions statewide. 15 health centers sue Virginia for inadequate Medicaid reimbursements over 25 years “Caring for people is a mission and a calling to serve others. That’s what our hospitals represent – a commitment to community and people,” said Mark Nantz, Valley Health President and CEO and the Chair of the VHHA Board of Directors. “We are proud to release the Annual Report on Community Benefit. It provides an opportunity to reflect on that important work and the lives it positively impacts. It also presents a chance to share those stories with our communities as a reminder of the meaningful work hospitals do across Virginia.” Virginia's acute care hospitals invested $650 million in 2024 to fund the state's share of Medicaid expansion costs, helping more than 500,000 low-income adults gain health coverage. This investment came amid a slower-than-expected decline in Medicaid enrollment following the post-pandemic "unwinding." Separately, Virginia experienced a $160 million general fund shortfall in its Medicaid program for the 2024 fiscal year. This necessitated $160 million in payment delays that were shifted into the 2025 budget. The new report comes as Virginia is recording high levels of respiratory illness activity, even as flu cases show a downward trend, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ...read more read less