Keep tax break for nonprofit hospitals

Not-for-profit hospitals must be ready to treat sick and injured people 24 hours a day regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Free health care is given to many ill patients who face troubling circumstances. In doing so, hospitals serve admirably as the safety nets for their communities.

That important role gets compromised when hospitals face serious threats to their property tax exemption. The Illinois Department of Revenue recently targeted three hospitals that now risk losing this critical status. More hospitals could follow. The state’s assumption appears to be that by collecting taxes, government entities that receive this money would do a better job of allocating it back to the community than is currently done by hospitals.

There are many valuable ways not-for-profit hospitals earn the privilege of tax exemption. They are charitable organizations and vital community resources. Free programs that focus on health education and screenings, cultural diversity, senior citizens, sexually abused children, emergency services and support groups help hospitals contribute to the well-being of our communities. At Northwest Community Hospital, we provide free programs that help the homeless, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and individuals in great need of dental care.

While it’s true that medical services at any hospital are not cheap, it’s important to note that not-for-profit hospitals are not big moneymaking machines. In fact, one in three Illinois hospitals is losing money, and many others have operating margins that are extremely small. Any money collected over expenses gets reinvested in the hospital to upgrade technologies and enhance patient care. Let’s help our hospitals flourish, not force them to devote precious time and resources to defend their valuable position in the community.

Bruce Crowther

Barrington

President and CEO

Northwest Community Hospital