Heightened Scrutiny by State Attorneys General: Implications for Catholic Health Care Organizations

This white paper has been prepared in anticipation of the continued activism of state attorneys general in their oversight of nonprofit health care organizations. Various sections of the white paper contain a summary of applicable law in the area; descriptions of some of the more prominent recent state attorney general actions initiated against non-profit health systems and hospitals; a discussion of the implications for Catholic health care systems in particular; and a description of suggested action steps that focuses on the actions that Catholic health systems and hospitals might consider in anticipation of future attorney general intervention. Finally, attached as Appendix A to the white paper, is a state-by-state listing of some of the more relevant cases and statutes that pertain to this emerging issue.