Hospitals mobilizing to fight proposed charity care rules

Hospitals plan to begin a lobbying campaign to prevent Congress from including charity care requirements in legislation to overhaul the healthcare system. The Senate Finance Committee is considering a bipartisan proposal that would require hospitals to provide "a minimum annual level of charitable care" as a condition for getting or keeping the tax-exempt status available to charitable organizations. In a bulletin, the American Hospital Association urged hospital leaders around the country to contact Congress by telephone or e-mail.