Non-profit Hospitals & the Community Benefit Standard

Non-profit hospitals receive billions of dollars in governmental subsidies due to their status as charitable organisations. Benefits that arise from this status under federal law include exemption from federal income taxes, eligibility to receive tax-deductible contributions, and authority to use tax-exempt bond financing. In recent years, Congress, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and members of the public have questioned whether hospitals are conducting sufficient charitable activities to justify these benefits. In the 111th Congress, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama on 23 March 2010, imposes additional requirements on these non-profit hospitals. This book examines the standard under which hospitals qualify for tax-exempt charitable status under federal law.