Charity Care Disparities in Illinois Hospitals: A Policy Review

Abstract

Illinois Cook County Health system has, since the mid 1800s, prided itself in the care it provides for Chicagolands underserved. However, for several decades the County system and Cook County taxpayers have borne the brunt of assisting these populations, especially in regards to supplying charity care, or free medical care that doctors provide to patients who are uninsured. A large gap exists in the charity care being contributed by Cook County Health and all other Chicago area hospitals which, as non-profit institutions, receive tens of millions in foregone property and sales taxes. This paper seeks to explore why that disparity exists, as well as what the Illinois health care system could do to better allocate resources for indigent populations.

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