Iowa hospitals last year provided community benefits valued at more than $1.2 billion, according to a survey released today by the Iowa Hospital Association. The total includes uncompensated care and other community benefits, such as health screenings, support groups, counseling, immunizations, nutritional services and transportation programs. Many of these programs and services simply would not exist without hospital support and leadership, said IHA President Kirk Norris. Uncompensated care (including charity care and bad debt) totaled more than $796.4 million in 2009, a 12% increase from 2008, while Medicare and Medicaid created about $310 million in losses for the state's hospitals.