A recent ruling by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals could jeopardize the tax-exempt status of healthcare facilities in the state. The court ruled that Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare's outpatient center is not tax-exempt because it is essentially a doctor's office, which cannot receive a tax-exempt status. The case involved $2.9 million in property taxes that Wheaton paid between 2003 and 2006. The ruling could affect other hospitals in the state with outpatient facilities.
