Executive Compensation at Bon Secours Mercy Health (2024)

Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) became one of the largest Catholic healthcare providers serving communities in Ohio, Kentucky, New York, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida when merged with Mercy Health in September, 2018.

A tax-exempt, non-profit healthcare system that consists of nearly 1,200 non-hospital healthcare facilities including 53 tax-exempt organizations, 37 organizations taxable as a partnership, and 48 organizations taxable as a corporation or trust, BSMH reports the net patient revenue from 47 hospitals and other care facilities through BSMH, along with management fees paid to BSMH for network management.

This post is limited to the executive compensation reported by BSMH.

BSMH reported total revenue of $11.5  billion in 2024 (compared to $8.7 billion in 2023, $8.2 billion in 2022, $7.6 billion in 2021 and $7 billion in 2020) most of which was net patient revenue ($9 billion), “exempt function income” ($247 million), “market assessments and corporate management fees” ($1.3 billion), and investment income and gains ($381 million), and retail pharmacy ($254 million).

Expenses in 2024 totaled $11.2 billion  (including $303 million in depreciation) with the two largest expenses reported to be compensation ($4.8 billion), medical supplies ($1.8 billion), and fees for services – no detail provided beyond classifying the fees as management, fundraising, and program ($2.2 billion).

At year-end the organization had $7.4 billion in net assets – a $3 billion increase over 2023 primarily due to restructuring (of net assets).

61,996 employees received $4.8 billion in compensation in 2024 which equates to an average compensation of $77,000.  7,703 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with 25 of the most highly compensated reported to be:

• $12,809,033:  John Starcher, Jr, President and CEO
• $ 3,157,645:  Deborah Bloomfield, Former CFO, Board Treasurer (end 7/24)
• $ 3,157,509:  Kenechuwu Ugowe, Neurosurgeon
• $ 2,547,275:  Benjamin Boothby, Orthopedic Surgeon
• $ 2,539,165:  Wael Haidar, Chief Clinical Officer
• $ 2,517,954:  Michael Bezney, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
• $ 2,493,164:  Sameh Arebi, Orthopedic Surgeon
• $2,394,534:  Jason Szczuka, Chief Digital Officer
• $ 2,391,964:  Manish Patel, Orthopedic Surgeon
• $2,307,102:  Donald Kline, COO
• $2,200,938:  Zoheir Abdelbaki, Cardiologist
• $2,027,618:  David A Cannady, Chief Strategy Officer
• $1,778,346:  Joseph Gage, Jr., SVP, Chief HR Officer
• $ 1,621,878:  Travis Crum, CFO, Board Treasurer (beg 7/24)
• $1,605,050:  Staci Lucius, President, BSMH Medical Group
• $1,236,429:  Daniel Hurry, Former Key Chief Supply Chain Officer *
• $1,091,333:  Jerome Judd, SVP, Treasury
• $ 1,096,491:  Jason Siegert, Former Key Chief Ventures Officer
• $   979,657:  Laishy Williams-Carlson, Former Chief Information Officer*
• $   853,923:  Donna Abbondandolo, Chief Compliance Officer
• $   739,855:  Brian Yanofchick, Chief Sponsorship Officer (beg /24)
• $   720,024:  Veronica Scott-Fulton, Chief Nursing Officer
• $   699,625:  Andrea Mazzoccoli, Chief Nursing Officer
• $   683,103:  Fr Joseph Cardone, Chief Mission Officer
• $   635,001:  Brian Smith, Former COO

The 25 highly compensated employees received $54 million in 2024 with the most highly compensated employee being John Starcher, the President and CEO who received nearly $13 million in 2024; and $73 million from 2017-2024:

John Starcher:  Total Compensation 2017-2024:  $73 million

• 2024:  $12,809,033
• 2023:  $12,960,300
• 2022:  $11,580,768
• 2021:  $ 6,210,476
• 2020:  $ 6,061,369
• 2019: $15,773,699
• 2018:  $ 3,255,988
• 2017:  $ 5,580,929

As illustrated above, 9 of the 10 most highly compensated employees are male while 1 is female. 19 of the 25 (76%) most highly compensated employees are male while 6 of the 25 (24%) are female.

BSMH paid for first class or charter travel, travel for companions, and health or social club dues or initiation fees, and made gross up payments or provided tax indemnification.  For more information on these expenses and contributions to non qualified supplemental retirements and deferred compensation plans, see the Form 990, Schedule J, Supplemental Information.

2,041 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 5 highest reported to be:

• $828 million:  Cardinal Health, of Chicago, IL for medical products and services
• $482 million:  Ensemble RCM LLC, of Huntersville, NC for revenue cycle services
• $332 million:  Medline Industries, of Pittsburgh, PA for medical products and services
• $121 million:  Trustaff Travel Nurse, of Cincinnati, IL for staffing
• $109 million:  Medtronic, of Chicago, IL for medical products/services

At year-end 2024, BSMH had $7.4 billion in net assets, compared to $4.2 billion at year-end 2023.  The $3.2 billion improvement is explained as “equity transfers.”

To read the IRS Form 990 (2024), click here.