WHY THE WORLD NEEDS BELLA
MISSION FAQS
IS BELLA A NONPROFIT?
Yes. Bella is a 501c(3) nonprofit. We believe that all life is sacred and that every person is worthy of dignified, life-affirming health care. We care for the cura personalis, the whole person - body, mind, and soul.
We also believe that a provider’s right to medical conscience is a matter of personal and religious liberty protected by the Constitution of the United States. Patients and providers deserve to pursue medicine in keeping with their personal beliefs.
Although we are not an official ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver (i.e. we are independently governed and receive no direct funding), we are a subsidiary of the Catholic Church. Although a faith-based organization, we welcome patients from every walk of life. Our doors are always open.
bella collects payment for MOST PATIENTS’ MEDICAL services RENDERED, so why does it need additional community funding?
Insurance companies reward practices that focus on increased patient volumes and reduced patient appointment times. The game is speed, patient turnover, and, increasingly, fast-tracking patients toward costly hospital and outpatient procedures, rather than seeking restorative, root cause health care.
Why? Since Obamacare, there’s no money in everyday medicine. The funds are channeled toward costly hospital stays, invasive surgeries, and outpatient procedures. In short, the “goods” are at the end of the healthcare tail.
Moreover, the healthcare system is increasingly centralized under large hospital networks and corporate insurance conglomerates, companies who increasingly control the entire healthcare revenue value stream. It’s not uncommon for a single entity to now own everything from the primary care doctor’s office, to the referral specialist’s medical practice, to the outpatient procedure facility, to the acute-care hospital network, to the very insurance company that will determine the reimbursement rates.
It’s a classic tale of small versus big, David versus Goliath.
There’s heavy pressure on private practices like Bella to be bought out, which, while certainly eliminating our funding concerns, would also mean we’re strong-armed into practicing medicine according to secular leaning, which is especially problematic for OB-GYNS dealing with reproductive health care.
It’s no secret there’s good money in abortion, sterilization, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and artificial birth control. Case in point, when we send our JPII Institute NaPRO surgeon in to perform a four-hour robotic surgery to restore a woman’s natural ability to conceive, we might receive $600-$800 in billing. Meanwhile, a single round of IVF can run a couple anywhere from $15,000-$25,000, and, all too often, the couple must pursue the treatment multiple times.
Life-affirming, NaPRO Technology robotic reproductive surgery = $800. In vitro fertilization = $25,000.
For Catholic, life-affirming healthcare practices, the stakes are high and our very survival is on the line. Our pursuit of medical conscience means simply we do not have access to the revenue streams built to fund OB-GYN model.
At Bella, we refuse to compromise patient care for efficiency and monetary gain. We believe root cause, restorative medicine takes time, even if it’s not reimbursable. We believe patient outcomes are improved when doctors tend to patient dignity. More importantly, we hold fast to reproductive treatments that honor the dignity of the body and the right to life. And we believe this kind of healthcare should be available to all, the rich and the poor, the strong and the vulnerable.
We, therefore, humbly approach our community, asking for your help in funding an independent, life-affirming healthcare model for the good of Colorado, and, if we can bottle the playbook, the entire world.
how much of bella’s operating budget must be fundraised?
$0.25 of every $1.00 must be fundraised. $0.75 of every $1.00 is earned through patient revenue.
HOW ARE DONATIONS SPENT?
PROGRAM FUNDING | 84% OF EVERY $1.00
FUNDRAISING COSTS | 4% OF EVERY $1.00
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES | 12% OF EVERY $1.00
2020 PROGRAM IMPACT
PATIENTS SERVED | 4,794 UNIQUE PATIENTS SEEN
ADMINSTERED MEDICAL CARE | 17,298 UNIQUE PATIENT APPOINTMENTS
AVERAGE PATIENTS SEEN PER DAY | 68 PATIENTS / DAY
BIRTHS | 310 BABIES
AVERAGE REIMBURSEMENT | 43 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR
2021 PROGRAM IMPACT
PATIENTS SERVED | 7,172 UNIQUE PATIENTS SEEN
ADMINSTERED MEDICAL CARE | 24,065 UNIQUE PATIENT APPOINTMENTS
AVERAGE APPOINTMENTS PER DAY | 105 PATIENTS / DAY
BIRTHS | 382 BABIES
AVERAGE REIMBURSEMENT | 39 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR
HOW CAN I DONATE TO BELLA’S MISSION?
Thank you! We celebrate every gift, large and small, as each attests to the community’s support of this life-affirming work. We call our donors our “Guardian Collective,” and without their support, we simply cannot continue to provide care for the patients who trust us with their dignity daily.
Donations can be made through text by texting the words “BELLAHOPE” to 44-321.
Gifts can also be made online using the donate link on our website.
Checks can be mailed to 180 E. Hampden Avenue, Suite 100, Englewood, CO 80113.
Many donors also set up giving through their places of employment or Donor Advised Funds.
does bella host an annual fundraiser?
Yes. Bella comes together to celebrate life-affirming, dignified health care and a provider’s right to medical conscience every December at the annual Bella Ball. Contact Lauren, laurencastillo@bellawellness.org for more information about the Bella Ball, your attendance, and sponsorship opportunities.
DOES BELLA’S STAFF CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO THE BELLA MISSION?
Perhaps the greatest attestation of a mission’s impact is the degree to which the organization’s own staff contribute financially. We are proud to say that in 2021, 6.3% of all donation dollars come directly from our own team.
The Bella staff also offers gifts of time and service. And when we lack a necessary medical instrument or office supply and planned spending won’t cover the fees, it is often a Bella team member who bridges the gap.