The lack of a clear definition of charity care is putting nonprofit hospitals in a bind, as Illinois has never defined how much charity care is needed to be considered a nonprofit hospital. The state's nonprofit hospitals have to deal with sweeping healthcare reform that will turn a large number of Illinois' nearly 2 million uninsured into paying customers. The law, which goes into effect in 2014, essentially could take away most of the charity care expenses that help hospitals qualify for hundreds of millions of dollars in property tax exemptions, the Chicago Tribune reports.
