Standard & Poor’s analysts said Monday that a proposed Illinois law to mandate that hospitals devote 8% of their total operating costs to charity care “could potentially lead to lower ratings, more expensive access to capital, and an inability to maintain state-of-the-art services,” reports Crain's Chicago Business. The S&P report, Proposed Illinois Charity Care Bill Could Pressure Hospital Credits, also said that the bill could have the unintended consequence of lowering total charity care because higher expenses could force hospitals reduce community-benefit activities not included in the law’s definition of charity care.
