What if American Catholic hospitals close?

From CatholicCulture.org:

What if American Catholic hospitals close?

March 02, 2012

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If Catholic hospitals close their doors because of the Obama contraception mandate, could the public sector absorb the cost of substituting for those medical services? The Fiscal Times examines that question.

The Catholic Church administers roughly one-eighth of all American hospitals and serve roughly one-sixth of the patients, running up total expenses close to $100 billion. The Catholic institutions serve a disproportionate number of needy patients.

Compared to their competition, Catholic hospitals take a leading role in providing less-profitable services to patients. They lead the sector in breast cancer screenings, nutrition programs, trauma, geriatric services, and social work. In most of these areas, other non-profits come close, but hospitals run by state and local governments fall significantly off the pace. Where patients have trouble paying for care, Catholic hospitals cover more of the costs

Because the Catholic hospitals do not seek to run at a profit, private enterprises are unlikely to buy the institutions. So more than 120,000 hospital beds could be lost—unless the government chooses to pick up the extra $100 billion in costs.

These sobering statistics, the Fiscal Times analysis notes, do not account for Catholic institutions other than hospitals: nursing homes, clinics, infirmaries, and other facilities that provide health care.

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• Obama Risks $100 Billion If Catholic Hospitals Close (Fiscal Times)