Welcome to hospitalfinances.org, a website run by the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ). Our aim is to make nonprofit hospital finances easier to access, search and analyze. This site includes details of Form 990 filings, made by nonprofit hospitals and systems to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. It does not include for-profit or government-owned hospitals.

A Form 990 is a tax return for organizations that are almost completely tax exempt. In return for being untaxed, the nonprofit must provide the public with the 990, which summarizes the group’s finances, pay and governance practices. Hospitals and systems are also required to include a Schedule H form with their 990, showing how their activities benefit the public. See more details about Schedule H under the “References and resources” link to the right.

The search results focus on key 990 elements. It includes basic finances, compensation of top executives, community benefits and other details. The data come from electronic filings that the hospitals send to the IRS. Our presentation does not include a complete copy of the 990, which can be requested from the hospital. (By law, they have to give it to you.) You can also get 990 copies from some of the groups under the link “References and resources” on this page.

If you have questions or feedback on this site, email Chris Colwell at colwelljc@missouri.edu.

This effort follows years of training by AHCJ to encourage journalists and the public to use 990 filings and learn more about hospitals.

Funding for this project was provided by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.