Nonprofit Hospitals Get Billions in Tax Breaks. What Do Patients Get Back?

Nonprofit hospitals receive substantial tax advantages in exchange for providing benefits to the communities they serve. But how well is that system working in practice? In this episode, Tatiane Santos discusses new research on hospital charity care, financial assistance programs, and the wide variation in how nonprofit hospitals support patients facing medical bills. The conversation explores who qualifies for assistance, why access to charity care differs across hospitals and states, and what policymakers should consider as scrutiny of nonprofit hospital tax exemptions grows. The conversation also examines the broader debate over accountability, community benefit requirements, and whether nonprofit hospitals are delivering sufficient value in return for the public subsidies they receive.