The Legislative Committee of the Charleston County Medical Society (CCMS) is spearheading a project to advance the Charity Care Expansion Act of 2015.  This bill (S.1521) was introduced in the Senate of the United States by Senator Tim Scott (SC) and co-sponsored by Senator Rand Paul (KY).

The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow physicians to have a tax deduction for charitable care provided equal to the amount the physician would have otherwise been paid. This bill would create a simple avenue and incentive for doctors to provide uncompensated medical care, thereby improving and expanding access to care for the uninsured.

The Legislative Committee of CCMS surveyed our membership which overwhelmingly approved to have the measure endorsed by our Society.  We are seeking the endorsement of your Society along with all the medical societies in South Carolina.  We plan to expand support for the Bill throughout the country.  This will give Senator Scott’s office the ability to start pushing the legislative process.

Though many physicians provide medical care on a ‘pro bono’ basis, the percentage that do is steadily in decline.   Through a myriad of state and federal appropriations, the hospital systems are compensated for ‘total charity medical care’.  Ironically, the doctors who actually ‘care’ for these patients and for whom the hospitals are compensated and receive tax benefits don’t receive special consideration.  This bill would create a simple avenue and incentive for doctors to provide uncompensated medical care, thereby improving and expanding access to care for the uninsured.