Membership and Dues

The CHA Membership Assembly approved a membership structure in June 1998 to unify and strengthen the ministry while adjusting dues. The changes were the result of member input and participation.

Current categories include: 

Representative Member
System Participant Member
Affiliate Member
Joint Member
International Member

What is representative membership?
Systems, sponsors, and free-standing entities are "representative members" under CHA's membership structure. Dues payments and responsibility for allocation of association votes are consolidated at the system level; however, system-based entities continue to be primary CHA constituents and direct recipients of services. Systems also have opportunities to shape and engage in association activities. Sponsors and free-standing entities have similar opportunities and a vote on business matters that come before the Membership Assembly. Freestanding long-term care facilities have a choice of membership options.

What is the current dues structure?
Under the current dues structure for representative members, annual dues are currently determine based on a representative member's operating expenses for the prior fiscal year. A dues rate is determined by the CHA board each year. An increase in audited consolidated operating expenses could result in an increase in CHA dues revenue and, thus, could result in CHA receiving dues revenue in excess of its needs to fund its annual operating budget. As a result, in June 2000, the Membership Assembly granted the CHA Board of Trustees limited authority to lower the annual dues rate applicable to representative members. Any other change in the dues rate must be approved by resolution of the Membership Assembly in accordance with CHA Bylaws.

Who can be a CHA member?
Organizations in each of the following membership categories must (1) promote or foster the values of the Catholic health ministry and (2) embrace and support the mission and purposes of the association.  Membership categories are:

Representative Member: Any not-for-profit Catholic health system, sponsor, or free-standing Catholic entity located in the United States. Currently, dues are calculated based on operating expenses.

System Participant Member: Any not-for-profit or privately held for-profit entity that is controlled and recommended for membership by a representative member and is located in the United States. This allows systems to specify member organizations, better reflecting the changing ministry and the full range of services beyond acute care. This category does not pay dues directly to CHA, but its dues are accounted for through their health system.

Affiliate Member: An "affiliated entity" (such as a non-owned physician practice or HMO) that is recommended for membership by a representative member. An affiliated entity is any not-for-profit or privately for-profit entity that has a direct or indirect relationship with a Catholic entity (but that is not controlled by a Catholic entity) for the purpose of delivering health care services through a contract or similar agreement. Dues are currently calculated based on operating expenses.

Joint Member: This category includes free-standing entities across the continuum of health care services, such as long-term care facilities or hospices, that are members of a national membership organizations with which the association has a joint membership agreement, such as the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. Dues are currently $100 a year.

International Member: This category is available to an entity that would qualify for representative membership but that is located outside the United States. Currently, dues for international members are $150 per year.

For more information on CHA membership, please contact Kim Hewitt at (314) 253-3421.