The Bethany Life Foundation has announced their 2017 annual fund drive to support their Good Samaritan Fund. This fund supports the organization in its ability to provide charity care. Betsy Warburton, CEO of Bethany Life commented that, “The Households of Bethany, our nursing facility in Story City, IA served 112 individuals in 2016 who could not fully pay for their care. This number represents approximately 45% of all individuals served at The Households of Bethany.
Although Medicaid helps to subsidize individuals who are impoverished and are in need of nursing home care, this subsidy does not meet the full cost of care. In 2016, Bethany Life provided 25,310 days of charity care with a value of over $683,000. As a non-profit organization, Bethany Life can only provide for this charity care through donations. Many for-profit nursing homes will not accept individuals who are on Medicaid due to the poor reimbursement.
Bethany Life Foundation Director, Larry Elphic, commented that, “We live in relative affluence in central Iowa. Yet, there are those in our midst that have spent their life savings on health care and have no more to give. We know that there are Good Samaritans in our community who will stop and help the needy. The Bethany Life ministry need for support continues and we need your help today.”
The Good Samaritan Fund drive’s goal is $250,000 in 2017. To learn more or to make a gift, contact Lynne Melssen, Donor Relations Coordinator at 515-733-3040. Donations can be accepted online at www.justgive.org. To plan a gift through an investment instrument or your estate, contact Larry Elphic at 515-509-3299.
Bethany Life is a non-profit, faith based aging services organization located in Story City, IA. Bethany Life has been providing a full continuum of services throughout central Iowa for over 102 years. To learn more about Bethany Life visit their website at www.bethanylife.org.