Supreme Court upholds decision to strip Provena Covenant Medical Center of property- tax exemption

A much more thorough analysis of the issues in the case in editorial form. 

court ruled that the state Department of Revenue in 2004 properly stripped Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana of its property-tax exemption because the hospital provided very little charitable care. In 2002, only 302 of its 110,000 patients got free or reduced-rate care through the hospital's charity program. That care was worth just 0.7 percent of the hospital's revenue that year. Because of the state's decision, Provena owed $1.1 million in property taxes to local governments.

The Supreme Court didn't project what would be an acceptable level of charitable care

This court ruling has a clear impact on Provena, which has lost its property tax exemption. Beyond that, things aren't so clear

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