The Lansing State Journal spent several weeks reviewing five years of IRS filings for the UM-Health Sparrow and McLaren Health Care Corp. hospital systems, which each have a significant presence in Greater Lansing. The filings were for years 2019 through 2023. 2024 IRS filings were not available for review as of mid-February.
The newspaper also reviewed lawsuits filed in area courts in the past five years and interviewed nearly a dozen experts from around the country who have researched or help track nonprofit hospital finances, transactions or community benefit spending.
In late January, the newspaper approached UM-Health Sparrow and McLaren seeking interviews with leaders and key personnel who could answer questions about their business and financial strategies, along with how they plan for and allocate funds for programs to improve the community’s heath. Neither system agreed to make anyone available.
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In mid-February, the State Journal again sought interviews with each system and shared some of its key findings related to their finances in an effort to ensure accuracy and seek answers about specific spending, profits, losses and debt collection practices among other issues. Neither system made officials available for interviews.
Both health systems sent responses addressing some aspects of their finances and some of the newspaper’s questions, but disregarded other questions.
Additionally, the State Journal spoke with staff at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Hospital Association.
Requests were made to speak with staff at Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office, and those requests were declined. A spokesperson for Nessel sent two statements addressing State Journal questions.
Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at mjmencarini@lsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: What to know about how LSJ reported the Hospital Giants project
Reporting by Matt Mencarini, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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