The Lown Institute, a nonpartisan healthcare think tank, is expanding its research into hospitals' financial behavior after receiving a $1.5 million grant from Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic fund.
The funding will support two projects over two years.
The first project will examine nonprofit hospital tax exemptions and how they relate to spending on patient financial assistance and other community investment. The Lown Institute's Fair Share Spending report, published April 11, found that U.S. hospitals received $14 billion more in tax benefits than they gave back to communities in 2020.
The American Hospital Association took issue with findings in the report, arguing that the charity care and community benefit spending "is wrong and cannot be taken seriously."
The second project the Lown Institute will study is hospitals' financial assistance, billing and collection policies. The institute will create a national database that documents hospitals' policies, including the extent to which they will deny care, pursue legal action and send patients to collection agencies.
"Our partnership with the Lown Institute will yield important insights into the financial practices of hospitals," Alexandra Spratt, director of healthcare at Arnold Ventures, said in a Nov. 11 news release. "By delving into these critical areas, we pave the way for a more equitable and responsible healthcare landscape."