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9 New York hospitals fall short on giving back to community by $727M: Lown Institute

Nine New York hospitals out of a study of 21 are failing to invest in their communities in an amount equal to the tax breaks they receive on a federal, state and local level, the Lown Institute reported Nov. 16.  The study only examined data from nonprofit hospitals, including nine that are a total of $727 million short of community investments that equal their combined $1.2 billion in tax breaks in 2019. The report dubbed this a "fair share deficit." More

NYC Nonprofit Hospitals Saw High Tax Breaks, Low Community Investments

New York City nonprofit hospitals had a fair share deficit of $727 million in 2019, with nine major facilities spending less on community investments than they received in tax breaks, according to a report from the Lown Institute. In exchange for being exempt from most federal, state, and local taxes, nonprofit hospitals must provide free and discounted care to their communities and invest in community health improvements. More

Are NYC hospitals earning their tax breaks?

A new report examining the finances of nonprofit hospitals in New York City finds that some hospitals fall significantly short on expected community investments. The study includes 21 hospitals and finds that 9 have a Fair Share deficit—meaning that the value of their community investments fails to equal the value of their federal, state, and […] More

Get ready for the 2022 Shkreli Awards!

The Lown Institute's annual Shkreli Awards highlight the most egregious examples of profiteering and dysfunction in our healthcare system. From systemic failures to negligence to fraud, the Shkreli Awards are here to spotlight the worst. On January 10 at 1 pm ET, we will be counting down the top ten most glaring examples of our broken system, and you're invited! More

Dallas-Fort Worth racks up medical debt, even as its hospitals thrive

Regardless of tax status, medical centers in markets with high medical debt do provide more charity care, according to an analysis by KHN and the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. That’s important, said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute, a nonprofit that grades hospitals on their quality and community benefits. But he asked: “Is a hospital truly serving its community if it’s pushing so many into debt?” More

When nonprofit hospitals start acting like for-profits

Through our work with the Lown Institute Hospitals Index, we’ve seen how socially responsible hospitals can be. These top hospitals prioritize equity, while maintaining excellent patient outcomes and avoiding overuse. But not all hospitals have performed well on social responsibility. In fact, the New York Times recently highlighted two nonprofit hospital systems that have gone against their social mission and put profits over patients fair share spending was featured in these articles. Here’s a breakdown of what the Times uncovered. More

Medical bills can be crippling. Mayo Clinic’s charity care? Arguably lacking

According to the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that recently published its 2022 hospital fair share spending rankings , 83% of hospital systems evaluated spent less on charity care and community investment than the estimated value of their tax breaks — what Lown Institute calls a “fair share deficit.” Mayo Clinic’s fair share deficit is $328 million, the 11th worst in the country. More

Montana health officials aim to boost oversight of nonprofit hospitals’ giving

Montana is one of the most recent states to consider imposing new rules or increasing oversight of nonprofit hospitals amid questions about whether they pay their fair share. Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the national healthcare think tank Lown Institute, said that both at a state and local level, people in California are exploring whether to monitor hospital community benefits and enforce new standards. Last year, Oregon initiated a minimum amount that nonprofit hospitals must spend on community benefits. And Massachusetts updated its community benefits guidelines in recent years, pushing hospitals to give more detailed assessments of how the spending lines up with identified health needs.

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Few Places Have More Medical Debt Than Dallas-Fort Worth, but Hospitals There Are Thriving

Regardless of tax status, medical centers in markets with high medical debt do provide more charity care, according to an analysis by KHN and the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. That’s important, said Dr. Vikas Saini, president of the Lown Institute, a nonprofit that grades hospitals on their quality and community benefits. But he asked: “Is a hospital truly serving its community if it’s pushing so many into debt?” More

How a Hospital Chain Used a Poor Neighborhood to Turn Huge Profits

Although Bon Secours has taken a financial hit this year like many other hospital systems, the chain made nearly $1 billion in profit last year at its 50 hospitals in the United States and Ireland and was sitting on more than $9 billion in cash reserves. It avoids at least $440 million in federal, state and local taxes every year that it would otherwise have to pay, according to an analysis by the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. More

Mass General Brigham agrees to slash millions of dollars in spending

Mass General Brigham has said it will reduce its total medical spending by $127.8 million annually, nearly doubling its commitment to reduce its spending after months of discussions with a state watchdog agency. The filing is part of the hospital’s “performance improvement plan,” which was required by the state’s Health Policy Commission after what it said were years of spending above acceptable levels.
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