Tax Exemption: Challenge and Opportunity for Not-for-Profit Hospitals

Abstract

As healthcare reform is debated over the next several years, not-for-profit hospitals will see increased challenges to their tax-exempt status. Over the past forty years, the requirements for maintaining a tax-exempt status have undergone numerous changes. In the last several years, several states have challenged the right of hospitals to maintain this desired status. As we move toward the mid-1990s, it will be critical for not-for-profit hospitals to demonstrate and communicate their commitment to charitable endeavors.