![Nonprofit hospitals must annually report on how much money they give back to the community in order to promote health. [Vintage Tone / Shutterstock]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d509897/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2003+0+0/resize/840x560!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F12%2F18%2Fshutterstock_630821351.jpg)
In order to maintain their tax-exempt status, nonprofit hospitals must annually report on their activities and investments that contribute to the health of their surrounding communities. This is known as community benefit spending.
In 2018, the as well as on things like research and community outreach. This represents of their total operating revenue.
鈥� or of their operating revenue 鈥� on similar activities, and , amounting to .
鈥� $219 million 鈥� on community benefit, but with a focus on programs that address upstream health issues like jobs and housing.
In a City Club forum earlier this year, CEO Akram Boutros urged the city鈥檚 major hospital systems to change their focus from curing diseases to preventing poor health outcomes in the first place.
