Palmer Lutheran Health Center
Also known as Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinic
Palmer Lutheran Health Center reported $51.0 million in revenue and $47.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.07 went to program services, $15.93 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 99.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,397,550 (CEO). 43 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 64% between 2019 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $47MFor context, the median across 5,634 covered health care charities: $86.19 programs, $13.81 management, $0.00 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $51MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.1% | 85.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.9% | 13.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | Not reported | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 1.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 99.4% | 93.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,397,550 | $975,831 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.96% | 1.34% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 43 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.0 | 6.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 2 of 6 | 88.9% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expensePalmer Lutheran Health Center is a 25-licensed bed critical access hospital. The only hospital in west union, iowa, and employs about 220 employees. Palmer Lutheran Health Center also has three rural health clinics in the communities of west union, fayette and postville, a home care department, hospice department, and home medical equipment department, which have offices in both west union and oelwein. In addition, palmer operates a same day clinic, open after-hours and on weekends, allowing patients to be seen 7 days a week in this setting. This is offered to specifically meet community…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 1.0 hrs/week | $0 | $1,324,275 | $73,275 | $1,397,550 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 1.0 hrs/week | $0 | $728,316 | $54,052 | $782,368 |
| BOARD OF DIRECTORS, VICE PRESIDENT Director/trustee, 2.0 hrs/week | $0 | $245,331 | $56,807 | $302,138 |
| ADMINISTRATOR Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $0 | $200,670 | $53,159 | $253,829 |
| FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR Officer, 18.0 hrs/week | $0 | $179,065 | $52,717 | $231,782 |
| BOD, SECRETARY/TREASURER, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 2.0 hrs/week | $0 | $181,916 | $44,625 | $226,541 |
| RN, ACUTE HOSPITAL - PALMER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $184,159 | $0 | $35,139 | $219,298 |
| FORMER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Former, 0.0 hrs/week | $0 | $209,856 | $0 | $209,856 |
43 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Palmer Lutheran Health Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $0 (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b6 · 2 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5260
- Volunteers Part I, line 64
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Palmer Lutheran Health Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Palmer Lutheran Health Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Palmer Lutheran Health Center spent in FY2025, $84.07 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Questions people ask
How much of Palmer Lutheran Health Center's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Palmer Lutheran Health Center reported that 84.1% of its $47.2 million in expenses went to program services, 15.9% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Palmer Lutheran Health Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Palmer Lutheran Health Center reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $1,397,550, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Palmer Lutheran Health Center get its money?
Of $51.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 0.1% came from contributions and grants and 99.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Palmer Lutheran Health Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 42-1320763 as a 501(c)(3) organization (hospital or medical research organization), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202632259349302438 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202522259349300732 · read the filing
- FY2023 (9 mo.): Form 990 for the 9-month short period ending September 30, 2023, object 202442279349303359 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303069349302395 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243189349302769 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143349349300839 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003219349303780 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 42-1320763: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.