Sen. Grassley to hold roundtable discussion on nonprofit hospitals

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said this week he intends to hold a roundtable on Oct. 30 to discuss the committee minority staff’s discussion draft of potential reforms for nonprofit hospitals.

The roundtable will be open to the press and public. Invited participants include representatives from the government, hospitals, associations, public charities advocating for the poor, and academics. The group will discuss issues around implementation of proposed reforms as well as questions raised by the discussion draft.

Grassley said he is weighing the need for legislation to address some questions around charity care, community benefit, and billing and collection practices of nonprofit hospitals. “Charitable hospitals benefit from very significant tax breaks,” Grassley said. “It’s important to understand what they’re doing to help those in need to justify such beneficial treatment under the tax laws.” To read the Finance Committee Minority Report to be reviewed at the meeting go to: http://finance.senate.gov/press/Gpress/2007/prg071907a.pdf