Nonprofit Hospitals Face Scrutiny Over Practices
New York Times, March 19, 2005 more

 Grassley looking at tax status of two local hospitals
Crain's, May 25, 2005 more

 Protestors seek answers on Advocate charity care
Daily Herald, March 18, 2005 more

Care For All? This report documents how charity care programs at Chicago's largest hospital chains fail those in need.

 Insult to Injury details the plight of 18 people whose medical emergencies landed them first in the hospital and then in court after they were sued by Advocate’s debt collection lawyers. The report compared Advocate Health Care’s eight hospitals with 51 other private acute care hospitals in the Chicago area and found Advocate sues patients three times more than other hospitals and for nearly twice as much on average as other hospitals.

 The Myth of Charity Care at Advocate Hospitals reveals that Advocate provides the lowest amount of charity care among private hospital groups in Cook County given Advocate’s size and high charges. Furthermore, site visits and phone calls by Campaign for Better Health Care researchers revealed that no signs about charity care were posted in patient access areas and staff routinely told researchers that free care was not available and referred patients to Cook County public hospitals.