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Pella Regional Health Center provided over $5 million in community benefits in 2008, according to a recently completed assessment of those programs and services. Hospital spokeswoman Billie Rhamy tells KNIA/KRLS News that the $5.2 million in benefits includes over $3.4 million in charity care and unpaid costs of Medicaid. Pella Regional provided 39 programs and services in 2008 that qualified under the community benefit definition, including health screenings, immunizations and nutritional services. Those programs serve over 14,000 people in the region. The community benefit results for Pella Regional are included in statewide report by the Iowa Hospital Association that shows Iowa hospitals provided community benefits in 2008 valued at more than a billion dollars.