Warren, Grassley Re-up Call for IRS Nonprofit Hospital Oversight

Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) are teaming up again to urge the IRS to increase scrutiny on nonprofit hospitals.

The pair sent a letter Tuesday asking the IRS to increase oversight of tax-exempt hospitals, clarify requirements for hospitals to have financial assistance programs for patients, prohibit tax-exempt hospitals from using aggressive collection practices, and reinstitute guidance requiring the hospitals to provide “charity care to the extent of their financial ability.”

Nonprofit hospitals are required to show they provide “community benefit” to retain their tax-exempt status. Community benefit includes charity care. But critics have long said the community ...