Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Committee on Finance, has publicly praised the Catholic Health Association’s recently proposed Hospital Community Benefit Report, which Grassley said ensures better reporting of hospitals’ charitable care. At the same time, he criticized the American Hospital Association’s “decision to perpetuate a murky picture” of charitable care. In a statement, Grassley said, “I hope all tax-exempt hospitals will use the CHA reporting guide. . . . Right now, reporting standards are all over the map, and it’s nearly impossible to know what’s real and what’s accounting gimmickry. That’s why I’m disappointed that the American Hospital Association isn’t echoing the good work of the CHA and instead is calling on tax-exempt hospitals to report to the federal government and the public on bad debt as part of community benefits. Bad debt isn’t necessarily a reflection of charitable care and community benefit. It clouds the picture.”
