First Health of the Carolinas Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $1.2 billion
- Spending
- $1.1 billion
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 10.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 93%
- Employees
- 7,487
- Volunteers
- 740
- Highest pay
- $1.8 million, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 21% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $891.6 million spent. FIRSTHEALTH OF THE CAROLINAS, INC. ("FIRSTHEALTH") PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY BENEFITS PROGRAM IN ITS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SERVICE AREAS. FIRSTHEALTH PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN DELIVERING HEALTH CARE IN THE MID-CAROLINAS AND IS BOTH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY NET FOR HEALTH CARE IN ITS COMMUNITIES. FIRSTHEALTH OPERATES TWO HOSPITALS: FIRSTHEALTH MOORE REGIONAL HOSPITAL AND FIRSTHEALTH MONTGOMERY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. FIRSTHEALTH MOORE REGIONAL HOSPITAL HAS LICENSED BEDS IN THREE LOCATIONS: THE MAIN CAMPUS IN PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA AND REMOTE LOCATIONS IN ROCKINGHAM AND RAEFORD, NORTH CAROLINA. HOSPITAL CARE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF HEALTH CARE IN MOST COMMUNITIES, BUT FIRSTHEALTH GOES BEYOND THE WALLS OF THESE FACILITIES TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF THE RESIDENTS OF ITS SERVICE AREAS. FIRSTHEALTH PROVIDES LOW-COST AND, IN MANY CASES, FREE PROGRAMS TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE PATIENT POPULATIONS. ONE OF FIRSTHEALTH'S MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS IS BRIDGING THE GAP CREATED BY UNDERPAYMENTS FROM MEDICARE AND MEDICAID AND OTHER GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FREE OR LOW-COST HEALTH SCREENINGS AND DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES, AS WELL AS HEALTH/WELLNESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITIES FIRSTHEALTH SERVES. FREE AND DISCOUNTED CHARITY CARE TO ELIGIBLE PATIENTS SERVED IN FY 2025, FIRSTHEALTH PARTICIPATED IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL DEBT MITIGATION PROGRAM (MDMP), WHICH REQUIRED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PATIENTS THAT QUALIFIED FOR MEDICAID DATING BACK TO 2014, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC NON-INCOME-BASED ELIGIBILITY SCREENING CRITERIA. AS A RESULT, FIRSTHEALTH RELIEVED THE DEBT OF MORE THAN 37,000 PATIENTS WITH DATES OF SERVICE PRIOR TO FY 2025. THIS DEBT RELIEF RESULTED IN A RECLASSIFICATION OF THE COST OF THIS DEBT RELIEF FROM BAD DEBT TO FREE/CHARITY CARE. ANYONE WHO VISITS A FIRSTHEALTH HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL CARE IS TREATED REGARDLESS OF HIS OR HER ABILITY TO PAY FOR THE TREATMENT PROVIDED. WHEN PATIENTS ARE UNABLE TO HELP WITH THEIR MEDICAL EXPENSES, FIRSTHEALTH ABSORBS SOME OR ALL THE COST OF CARE FOR THOSE THAT MEET DESIGNATED FINANCIAL CRITERIA, DEPENDING ON FAMILY INCOME. PATIENTS WITH FAMILY INCOMES AT OR BELOW 200 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE QUALIFY FOR 100 PERCENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER FIRSTHEALTH'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. FIRSTHEALTH'S NET COST OF FREE CARE (TREATING PATIENTS THAT QUALIFIED FOR 100% FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) WAS $46,081,400 IN FISCAL 2025. THROUGH ITS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, FIRSTHEALTH ALSO OFFERS VARYING LEVELS OF DISCOUNTED CARE TO PATIENTS WHO ARE POOR AND/OR MEET CERTAIN INCOME GUIDELINES. PATIENTS WITH FAMILY INCOMES BETWEEN 201 AND 360 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE QUALIFY FOR DISCOUNTS AGAINST FIRSTHEALTH'S LIST PRICE FOR SERVICES RENDERED. FIRSTHEALTH ALSO INCURS BAD DEBT EXPENSE EACH YEAR FOR PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO HAVE THE FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO PAY FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDED BUT ARE UNWILLING/FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO SETTLE THE CLAIM. FIRSTHEALTH CONTINUES TO PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THIS PATIENT POPULATION. FIRSTHEALTH'S FINANCIAL COUNSELORS WORK CLOSELY WITH PATIENTS AND FAMILIES TO HELP DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE OR QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS. FIRSTHEALTH REQUESTS THAT PATIENTS PROVIDE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION, SUCH AS TAX RETURNS, CURRENT PAY STUBS, OR OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION, THAT IS USED TO DEMONSTRATE FINANCIAL NEED. FIRSTHEALTH ALSO OFFERS INTEREST-FREE EXTENDED PAYMENT PLANS THAT WILL VARY IN LENGTH, DEPENDING ON THE BALANCE OF THE PATIENT'S ACCOUNT. FIRSTHEALTH ASSISTS PATIENTS WITH FINDING AVAILABLE GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS THAT MATCH PATIENTS' NEEDS, SUCH AS MEDICAID, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE, ETC. FIRSTHEALTH ALSO POSTS DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ITS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON ITS WEBSITE (WWW.FIRSTHEALTH.ORG) SO THE PUBLIC CAN BE AWARE OF ITS AVAILABILITY. MEDICAID SHORTFALL FIRSTHEALTH PROVIDES MEDICAID SERVICES IN ITS TWO HOSPITALS, AS WELL AS THROUGH ITS HOME CARE, HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE, DENTAL CARE, AND OTHER HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN ITS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SERVICE AREAS. APPROXIMATELY 12.4% OF FIRSTHEALTH'S FISCAL 2025 NET PATIENT REVENUE FOR ACUTE CARE SERVICES CAME FROM THE MEDICAID PROGRAM. THE MEDICAID PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS, IS FUNDED BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS. IN NORTH CAROLINA, AS IN MANY STATES, MEDICAID PAYMENTS ARE WELL BELOW THE PROVIDER'S ACTUAL COST OF TREATING MEDICAID PATIENTS AND THE REIMBURSEMENT LEVEL IS PREDICTED TO DECLINE AS FINANCIAL PRESSURES ON THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATING BUDGETS MOUNT. IN FISCAL 2025, FIRSTHEALTH'S UNPAID COSTS FROM MEDICAID TOTALED $27,505,664. MEDICARE SHORTFALL FIRSTHEALTH PROVIDES SERVICES TO MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES IN ITS TWO HOSPITALS. IN ADDITION, MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES ARE SERVED BY FIRSTHEALTH'S HOME CARE, HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THE MEDICARE SHORTFALL REPRESENTS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL COST OF CARE RENDERED AND THE REIMBURSEMENT RECEIVED FOR DELIVERING THAT CARE TO PATIENTS. APPROXIMATELY 56.9% OF FIRSTHEALTH'S FISCAL 2025 NET PATIENT REVENUE FOR ACUTE CARE SERVICES CAME FROM THE MEDICARE PROGRAM. THE COST OF DELIVERING CARE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONNEL COSTS, TECHNOLOGY, SUPPLIES, PHARMACEUTICALS, MEDICAL DEVICES, FACILITY OPERATING COSTS, ETC. FIRSTHEALTH'S FINANCIAL SHORTFALL FROM PROVIDING THESE MEDICARE SERVICES IN FISCAL 2025 WAS $23,504,429. SUBSIDIZED MEDICALLY ESSENTIAL SERVICES AS A RURAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, FIRSTHEALTH IS MANY TIMES THE PROVIDER OF LAST RESORT FOR OUR PATIENTS. IN ORDER TO OFFER A FULL SPECTRUM OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES, FIRSTHEALTH PROVIDES SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT YIELD NEGATIVE OPERATING MARGINS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THESE SERVICES ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITIES SERVED, FIRSTHEALTH CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THEM. SU
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.