From Deseret News archives:

Healthcare Coalition should be transparent

Published: Monday, April 24, 2006 8:19 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
There has been considerable discussion recently about the Utah Healthcare Coalition and what the coalition is hoping to accomplish to improve the delivery of health care in Utah. However, there is a critical issue at stake. While Roger Ball is requesting more transparency in the delivery of health care in Utah, he and the coalition are not willing to provide the same information about themselves.

Mr. Ball claims that the coalition is not obligated to disclose information about its board and coalition members or its sources and amount of funding. The coalition has filed with the IRS as a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt social welfare organization, which "must operate primarily to further the common good and general welfare of the people of the community." A primary obligation of all types of nonprofit organizations is to be transparent in their own activities. Therefore, the IRS requires all tax-exempt organizations to disclose their boards of directors, their financial position and total funds raised.

Everyone should be concerned that a group seeking to influence public health policies is unwilling to make disclosures about its own activities and finances. In today's environment of increased oversight, such organizations' activities need to be beyond reproach and publicly available.

Story continues below
The Utah Nonprofits Association encourages organizations to provide necessary information to the public on a timely basis. In fact, the Utah Nonprofit Association's Standards of Ethics emphasize nonprofit transparency. These standards state, "As nonprofit organizations we provide truthful information about our missions, program activities, use of donations and finances."

I hope that in the interest of the greater community and in the true spirit of nonprofit accountability, that the Utah Healthcare Coalition, which is calling for more transparency from health care providers, changes its current attitude of secrecy.


Diane Hartz Warsoff is the executive director of the Utah Nonprofits Association.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Well, I AM in his district, and he WON'T be getting my vote this time!

TCU moves into 4th place in BCS

"Utah has fared well against TCU over the years. The Utes are 5-1 all-time...

Everyone needs to stop all the "hate" for PG. Up until this year, these...

Letters: Growing jobless rate

Obviously Obama cares more about getting his big government programs in place...

GOP blasts Matheson after vote

and his office refused to say how he would vote and I was treated very rudely...

I am proud of jim matheson for voting no. People lets face it if the...

Bystanders framed for child porn

Re: Um.. "You are incorrect. There are computers that are immune to...

How refreshing.

Since Coach Whit is the class of the class, I wonder why Bronco didn't...

I am an old man, old enough to remember the wall going up and coming down. I...

Advertisements
Advertisement