Missouri hospitals claim $1.1B in charity care

As IRS scrutiny of non-profits continues, it makes sense for hospitals to proactively prove that they're justifying their tax-free status. That's why, in part, that Missouri hospitals have come together to report on their charity-care and community efforts, which they say were worth $1.1 billion last year. The new report, which was prepared by the Missouri Hospital Association, calculates that the state's hospitals contribute $7.8 billion in salaries, benefits, taxes and capital investments in infrastructure. At the same time, it says, they offer a wide range of charitable services, including free medical clinics, charity care for the poor and community education. The MHA began publishing annual reports on charitable contributions last year, after coming under pressure to prove that members deserved to operate tax-free.

To find out more about the report:
- read this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article

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