The Illinois Supreme Court will hear the appeal of a case involving not-for-profit hospitals and their tax-exempt status.
Southern Illinois Healthcare CEO Rex Budde is closely watching the case, which focuses on Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, but could affect all hospitals in Illinois.
Budde says there is a reason organizations like SIH are granted tax-exempt status in Illinois.
"Between unreimbursed services - Medicaid, charity, and those kinds of things, and the different programs we offer - SIH makes a massive contribution to the region in terms of services, and also the community benefits like research and education, those types of things."
An Illinois Appellate Court ruled the 2012 law clarifying charity care and tax-exempt qualifications is unconstitutional, but Budde says he believes even if the Supreme Court agrees, there should be a way to work things out.
The case might not be decided until early next year.
