Hospital Benefits from Charitable Gifts
Jan Gaston, administrator for Jasper Memorial Hospital (JMH), spoke to members of the Monticello Civic Club last Thursday about the Georgia Heart (Helping Enhance Access to Rural Treatment) program.
Through this program, people may donate money to their local hospital or designate it for rural hospitals, and it is 100 percent tax deductible. The legislature capped the donations at $60 million which is allocated to 58 rural hospitals. Last year JMH received $706,172 from 82 designated and undesignated donors.
Metro Atlanta accounted for 83 percent of the undesignated contributions which totaled 18 million. Each rural hospital received over $350,000 of this, and JMH’s share was $374,000. Some 93 million was denied by the state on July 1.
JMH has purchased billboards that say, “Be a Game Changer for Healthcare in Your Community. Apply now at www.GeorgiaHeart.org to take advantage of the rural hospital tax credit. Designate Jasper Memorial Hospital.” One is at Jackson Lake Road and Hwy. 212 west, and the other was and will be on Hwy. 83 north, coming into the city limits.
Georgia Heart sent reminders to all 2018 donors to re-apply beginning October 1, 2018 for the 2019 tax credit. Only $60 million will be allowed. New donors should go ahead now and begin the process. Once approved by the Department of Revenue (DOR) in January, the donor has 60 days to contribute to the hospital by mailing a check to Georgia Heart, designating JMH. Once the contribution has been received by Georgia Heart, the donor has 30 days to report the donation to the DOR through a personal Ga. Tax Center account. Georgia Heart provides step-by-step instructions and provides online, e-mail and telephone support.
Items purchased with the additional funds this year included: relocated the emergency department physician call room to the annex–$27,000; renovation of rooms 14 and 15 to private rooms, hall handicap restroom modifications, and new hospital shower room–$150,000; renovation of emergency department rooms–$10,400; Emergency Room equipment–$60,000; Rehab Therapy equipment–$5,000; Wireless Telemetry (heart monitors)–$16,600, new hospital patient room furniture throughout the building–$71,056; additional generator for hospital–$31,282; electronic medical record and radiology for the hospital and Primary Care Center–$372,000.
Mrs. Gaston said none of that would have been possible without the extra funds received by the hospital. The hospital sent thank you notes featuring an autographed Trisha Yearwood cookbook to each of the donors, hoping the undesignated donors will designate Jasper Memorial next year.
The IRS issued proposed rules in August that may impact all 2019 state tax credits (SALT) for donors giving to entities for a charitable donation. The state credit is allowable, but any federal deduction would be disallowed.
Sen. Johnny Isakson has stated, “The Georgia Heart rural hospital expense credit program is a bona fide charitable giving program that does not represent an effort to recharacterize state or local government spending. I recommend the Treasury Department in the final regulation to be issued use a ‘facts and circumstances’ test that would enable the IRS to differentiate these programs….”
For more information, interested persons may contact Mrs. Gaston or Stuart Abney at 706-468-6411.
The Monticello Civic Club meets the first and third Thursday of each month on Monticello First United Methodist Church at noon for lunch with a program at 12:30 p.m. New members are welcome. Dues are $30 a month, and include lunch. The group works to better the lives of children in Jasper County. The next meeting is planned for Thursday, Oct. 18, and will feature the students and teachers of the month as well as installation of new officers. To reserve a spot, call President Les Steele at 706-476-2870.
Hospital personnel present posed with Mr. Steele for a photo at the end of the meeting. Present were Stuart Abney, Mrs. Gaston, and Laura Hudgins.
