Lee Health System Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BE A TRUSTED PARTNER, EMPOWERING HEALTHIER LIVES THROUGH CARE AND COMPASSION.
- Income
- $3.5 billion
- Spending
- $3.0 billion
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 6.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 91%
- Employees
- 17,835
- Volunteers
- 2,373
- Highest pay
- $709,634, president/ceo and director (ex-officio)
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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.1 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 15 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
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or 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)
- $2.7 billion spent. LEE HEALTH SYSTEM, INC. (LHS) PROVIDES BOTH INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT HEALTHCARE SERVICES THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. AS A SAFETY-NET HOSPITAL, LHS PROVIDES SERVICES WITHOUT REGARD TO A PATIENT'S ABILITY TO PAY. PROVIDING HEALTHCARE ACROSS FIVE HOSPITALS AND OVER 100 OUTPATIENT LOCATIONS, INCLUDING A REGIONAL CANCER CENTER, LHS PROVIDED IN EXCESS OF $168 MILLION IN CHARITY CARE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR PATIENTS WHO WERE NOT COVERED BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL OR PRIVATE INSURANCE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, LHS PROVIDED ALMOST $60 MILLION IN COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND OUTREACH, THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS EXPANSIVE CLINICAL EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DONATIONS, AND HEALTH PROMOTION AND EDUCATION. LHS PROVIDES A COMPLETE RANGE OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES. WITH OVER 1800 INPATIENT ACUTE CARE ADULT BEDS AND A 135 BED CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (INCLUDING 70 NICU BEDS), LHS SUPPORTED OVER 90,000 ADMISSIONS TO ACUTE CARE, REPRESENTING OVER 500,000 DAYS OF TOTAL INPATIENT CARE. IN ADDITION, LHS COMPLETED OVER 56,000 INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT SURGERIES, GAVE BIRTH TO OVER 7,500 BABIES, PROVIDED SERVICES TO OVER 300,000 PATIENTS THROUGH THE EMERGENCY ROOM, 40,000 HOME HEALTH VISITS, AND NEARLY 2,500,000 VISITS WITH PROVIDERS. LHS INCLUDES OVER 17,000 EMPLOYEES WORKING WITH A MEDICAL STAFF OF 2,500 PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL VOLUNTEERS IN THE THOUSANDS. HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR EXPANDED CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY INCLUDE THE LAUNCH OF A MOBILE MEDICAL CLINIC, PARTNERSHIPS IN PARAMEDICINE WITH LEE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES, THE CREATION OF A PEDIATRIC CLINIC INSIDE OF FRANKLIN PARK ELEMENTARY, THE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND THE ONLY HOSPITAL IN FLORIDA (GOLISANO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL) TO BE CERTIFIED AS AN AUTISM CENTER.
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 September 2024.
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.
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