Non-Profit patient care businesses get tax breaks due to their loss and free care give away.
Your health insuarance never pays the actual cost on the bill. They normally have contracts with those businesses on a set pay.
So if your bill is $100.00, your insurance company may pay only $35.00. This is the case in many healthcare business.
Property tax is exempt only on land or building used for healthcare.
Thus if a healthcare facility owns 200 acres and only uses 15 for healthcare, the other 185 acres are taxable..this means County, Town, and school.
If you want to know how much your insurance company is paying for a certain visit, ask your healthcare provider.
Your doctor and healthcare providers need to see so many patients a day to break even for their expense that day.
To provide healthcare to people costs alot of money, employees help, doctors, supplies, benefits, and malpractice, etc.
This profession deserves the tax breaks that it gets.
If anyone should be paying tax it should be the churches, you keep paying those cults and get nothing but a sermon. The Catholic church in the 60's was the richest organization in the world. Does anyone know if they are paying taxes on that property they own on route 67?
I know it doesn't seem fair for you to pay taxes, but you sometimes you need to look into that business and see how it is run to deserve a tax break.
I believe all for-profit should pay all taxes, that includes GF.
If you respond to this sight, remember this is ONLY healthcare in general vs. tax exempt status, we are NOT talking any specific healthcare organization.

While there are numerous comments that I could make in response to your post, Nooner, I have to at least mention the fact that churches ARE not-for-profit organizations and the Catholic Church does engage in many charitable outreaches including feeding the poor, caring for children, etc. The Albany diocese alone does a tremendous amount of good. For more info, check the source:
http://www.catholiccharitiesny.org/

Don't hold back....ILG...perhaps we need to audit a few of those churches, that call themselves not-for profit...But do agree with you some do very good volunteering help to the lazy poor that don't want to work. But I am glad they are helping the old and the ones that can not work, along with the misfortunate children.
BUT the Federal, state and county do the same thing with your tax dollar.

Yikes, Nooner! One of these days I hope to actually meet you because I am sure that you're not the Scrooge you try to portray on this board.

ILG...Scrooge? NO NOT ME, I give to good reliable organizations..such as Double H hole in the Woods,(Charlie Wood knew that children were important, Paul Newman has his signature hanging in my home and loved children)...
I give to Make-A-Wish Foundatation, I give to Sunnyview Rehab...plus other organizations that have low administrative costs.
So what do you give to that doesn't put more in their pocket than out to help someone. Don't tell me Catholic Charities...have you seen their budget?
You don't want to meet me, because off this site, I am meaner, badder, and the biggest insulter of all time. We are close enough, just being on this site.
But I am flatered that you would even consider meeting me, thank you.

The Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas are also very large charitable organizations in their part of the world. I'm not sure charity should be a reason for putting religious organizations up on a pedestal. At the same time, I definitely don't think that the Federal government is better than a charity, just that charities need scrutiny. They are not all created equal, and access to money breeds corruption.

I've been shocked this season at the number of groups insisting that I give them my money. It seems worse than normal. I'm not saying don't give, but enough is enough. If I was as generous as all of these groups and the media tells me I should be, I'd be in desperate need of the charity myself.

What do I give to? Haven't you ever heard the expression "it's what you do in the dark" [and get your mind out of the gutter...]. If not, here is a book for you:

http://www.publishamerica.net/product30302.html

I'm not going to list all of the organizations that I donate to.... suffice it to say that in addition to giving $$ I also give my time (as does my husband and my children).

And, as a side note, who cares about the budget? Have you seen the budget for "Make a Wish"? In 2010, their revenues were $168,174,188.00 versus Catholic Charities' budget of $45,170,678.00. Does that really matter? And, $21,000,000.00 went to Make a Wish salaries... does that matter?

People give to certain charities for their own personal reason... who are you to belittle one over another? I'm just thankful people are charitable... then again, I'm not Scrooge!

I think I may be on ILG's side on this one. I strongly believe in silent giving first of all. I also strongly believe that if you give, it comes back to you many times over. I have lived long enough to see it in my own life happen time after time. ILG mentioned charities salaries etc and I know personally some very wealthy people who work for various charities and some that she mentioned.

My belief is if we are fortunate enough to be able to give and most people are. Select a recipient who truly is in need and just do it quietly. I can promise anyone who is a giver they will see that in one way or another it comes back many times over. If nothing else being a giver makes you feel good.

It is good to know your charities. There was a news piece this week on how much telemarketers get. Sometimes their cut is more than the charity they represent!
Can you get information on your charities overhead and on how much actually gets to where you want it to go?

Don't forget your local animal organizations. AnimalLovers, your local Humane Society, Saratoga Animal Shelter, just to name a few. They save and try to find homes for all the helpless and homeless animals.

ILG, When I said look at their budget, I was referring looking at it would tell you how much their administration was pocketing, and not going out to the needy...American Red Cross is one of the biggest jokes.
Telemarketers get roughly 72% of what they take in for a cause that no one can explain...These people you never should give to.
Animals...the verdict is out on them, mostly do to over population from breeding.
I am glad this is a civil conversation between all of us, rather than everyone crusifing the other for a change. Doesn't it feel good?

Agreed! Civil discussions are enlightening and educating.

As Hugh said, it's great to give to charities, but it is important to do a little research so that you know your dollars are really going to those that need it the most. I had heard that the Red Cross has a lot of administrative expenses, so clearly it is not run very efficiently.