Should Nonprofit Hospitals Keep Their Nonprofit Status?

• Nonprofit hospitals are obligated to treat all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
• In contrast to for-profit hospitals, nonprofits must treat patients even after life-threatening danger has passed (investigate this....)
• Nonprofit Hospitals offer a wider range of services than for-profits, including procedures like drug rehabilitation therapy, that either carry low profits or losses.
• For-profits need to satisfy their shareholders and worry about income, whereas nonprofits can focus on patient care. In fact, the IRS stipulates that nonprofit hospitals must conduct Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) every three years. These surveys inform the nonprofit as to what the most common and acute needs are in the community.
• Because for-profit hospitals are beholden to shareholders, they take longer than nonprofit hospitals to respond to emergencies like COVID-19. In fact, the OSU Wexner Medical Center distributed thousands of COVID-19 care kits, which contained masks, soap, hand sanitizer, and educational supplies. The kits were distributed to the Columbus communities that were hardest hit by COVID.
• Nonprofit hospitals often partner with community health organizations, who often help nonprofit hospitals when they are facing losses. Community organizations also help nonprofits reach community members that are hard to reach due to their socioeconomic or ESL status.
• 45% of nonprofit hospitals admitted to routinely sending medical bills to patients who would qualify for financial assistance
• For-profit hospitals spend 65% more on charity care than nonprofits
• Nonprofit hospital CEOs enjoyed a 95% pay increase in a decade (which decade????? Ask Nate.)