The American Hospital Association sent a letter (pdf) last week to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), urging Congress to preserve the charitable tax deduction as Congress and President Barack Obama continue their talks to avoid the "fiscal cliff."
Congress has floated many proposals to avert the fiscal cliff, which is a wide-ranging array of government spending cuts and tax increases. Some members of Congress want to limit federal tax charitable deductions on returns, but the AHA said that measure would "significantly reduce the level of philanthropic support to hospitals when they can least afford it."
Rick Pollack, AHA's executive vice president, also cited a survey from the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy that said total annual giving to non-profit hospitals and health systems could drop more than $1 billion if changes were made to the current tax incentives for charitable donations.
"As hospitals face new challenges to provide high-quality care to everyone who needs it, the support they find from generous members of the communities they serve is needed now more than ever," Mr. Pollack wrote. "We urge you to continue to encourage private giving by excluding charitable giving from any limitations on deductions."
Congress has floated many proposals to avert the fiscal cliff, which is a wide-ranging array of government spending cuts and tax increases. Some members of Congress want to limit federal tax charitable deductions on returns, but the AHA said that measure would "significantly reduce the level of philanthropic support to hospitals when they can least afford it."
Rick Pollack, AHA's executive vice president, also cited a survey from the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy that said total annual giving to non-profit hospitals and health systems could drop more than $1 billion if changes were made to the current tax incentives for charitable donations.
"As hospitals face new challenges to provide high-quality care to everyone who needs it, the support they find from generous members of the communities they serve is needed now more than ever," Mr. Pollack wrote. "We urge you to continue to encourage private giving by excluding charitable giving from any limitations on deductions."
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