Taxability Of Health Insurance Rebates

Senate Finance Proposes Health Reform Funding Options : Health ...

On May 18, 2009, the Senate Finance Committee released  the last of its three anticipated health reform option papers .  The proposals under consideration would make significant changes in the obligations of tax-exempt hospitals to provide charitable patient care, as well as changes in Medicare provider payments, beneficiary cost-sharing and taxability of employer-sponsored health benefits.

Charity Care Obligations of Tax-Exempt Hospitals Tax-exempt hospitals could be required to do a periodic community needs analysis, provide minimum amounts of free care to the poor, not refuse services to patients who are unable to pay and adhere to restrictions in patient collection practices.  Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) has justified these proposed new requirements because making health insurance coverage available to everyone should, in theory, minimize the amount of hospital uncompensated care.  Under this proposal, in addition to revoking federal tax-exempt status, the Internal Revenue Service could impose significant excise taxes (intermediate sanctions) on exempt hospitals that fail to comply with these new requirements.

Click here for the comment letter from McDermott partner Douglas Mancino outlining reasons to reject the Finance Committee's proposals to require tax-exempt hospitals to regularly conduct a community needs analysis and to provide a minimum annual level of charitable patient care.  This letter includes a copy of the new schedule H for tax-exempt hospitals and Mr. Mancino's article, "The Charity Care Conundrum for Nonprofit Hospitals." Medicare would propose “spending reductions in [regional] areas...above a certain threshold compared to the national average.”  Medicare would reduce graduate medical education or disproportionate share payments.  Physician payments could be tied to outcomes and productivity, and reduced by a panel of experts if determined to be “misvalued.”  There would also be adjustments made to beneficiary cost-sharing, including a single annual maximum or other combined approach.  Beneficiaries would also face higher Part D prescription drug premiums, perhaps based on income.  Prescription drug makers could be subject to higher Medicaid rebate requirements.  Home health agencies would also face significant reductions in their Medicare payments.

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