title: Can a violation of investor trust lead to financial contagion in the market for tax-exempt hospital bonds?
abstract: Not-for-profit hospitals rely heavily on tax-exempt debt. Investor confidence in such instruments was shaken by the 1998 bankruptcy of the Allegheny Health and Education Research Foundation (AHERF), which was the largest U.S. not-for-profit failure up to that date and whose default was accompanied by claims of accounting irregularities. Such shocks can result in contagion whereby all hospitals are viewed as riskier. We test for the significance and duration of resulting contagion using an industry-specific model of interest cost determinants. Empirical tests indicate that contagion does occur, resulting in higher interest on new debt issues from other hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, 347 FlemingHall, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. PMBernet@HealthcareFinance.org
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bernet
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Getzen
mesh_terms: D002202:Capital Financing / Q000458:organization & administration; D006788:Hospitals, Voluntary / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007449:Investments / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010414:Pennsylvania; D035502:Trust