URBANA, IL—Consejo de Latinos Unidos, the leading national advocacy group that fights hospital price gouging of the uninsured, called on the IRS to review and revoke the federal tax-exempt status of Provena Covenant Medical Center in Champaign County, Illinois, after the head official of the Illinois Department of Revenue affirmed the revocation of the hospital’s state tax-exempt status last Friday. 
 

“We are sick and tired of billion-dollar not-for-profit hospital systems that treat the uninsured and the community like manure and yet pay nothing in taxes,” said K.B. Forbes, Executive Director of the Consejo in his letter to the IRS. “We appreciate the fact that the IRS is diligently reviewing the tax-exempt status of over 500 not-for-profit hospitals. We hope the latest development in Illinois will serve the IRS well and send a clear warning to the hospital sector.” 
 

Last May, the Consejo blasted the Illinois Hospital Association (IHA) for having funneled $250,000 in the previous 24 months to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s campaign in what appeared to be an attempt to influence the Illinois Department of Revenue decision on the revocation of the tax-exempt status of Provena Covenant.  
 

At the time, the Consejo exposed the fact that the Governor had accepted $10,000 from the Vice-Chair of Provena Covenant’s Board of Directors, Peter Fox, a few months after Provena Covenant appealed the revocation decision. 
 

“We are pleased that the Illinois Department of Revenue went above the scheme of legal bribery and taught the goons at the IHA that money cannot buy you love,” said Forbes. 
 

In February of 2004, Provena Covenant’s tax-exempt status was revoked by the professional staff of the Illinois Department of Revenue. Provena Covenant immediately appealed the decision to an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The case was heard in April of 2005. The decision, reviewed and modified by the director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, was handed down last Friday, affirming the revocation.  
 

Last March, the Consejo was profiled by CBS’ 60 Minutes for its work against hospital abuses.