Here are five articles published on Becker's Hospital Review this past week that offer insight on hospital tax exemptions, uncompensated care and universities in the hospital business.
1. Has the time for universities to exit the hospital business arrived? 4 key thoughts
In April, Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center officially separated from Vanderbilt University. The university leaders' decision in 2014 to sever the entities' financial and legal ties came in response to the increasing challenges and costs academic medical centers impose on the schools with which they are affiliated. Now, industry experts question whether the trend of separation will continue.
2. Illinois Supreme Court to review constitutionality of hospital tax exemptions
The Illinois Supreme Court will review a case that focuses on the constitutionality of exempting nonprofit hospitals in Illinois from paying property taxes.
3. Uncompensated care drops nearly 9% in Pa. hospitals
The amount of uncompensated care that hospitals in Pennsylvania provided patients in fiscal year 2015 dropped by 8.6 percent, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
4. Milliman: Americans' healthcare costs have tripled since 2001
In 2016, an employer-sponsored PPO health plan for an American family of four costs $25,826, on average, an amount that has more than tripled since 2001 when the average cost was $8,414.
5. 41% of patients use payment plans for medical expenses
A majority of patients have received a confusing medical bill, and many have received a bill they were unable to pay, according to Copatient's 2016 State of Medical Bill Confusion survey.
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