Religious status gives Catholic hospitals structural advantages like underfunded pensions

Evidence

As the consolidation of the industry advances, Catholic providers benefit from structural advantages that stem directly from their religious character. By virtue of their religious status, for instance, the Catholic operations have considerably more leeway to underfund pension plans. Following the recent merger wave, over 16 percent of hospital beds in the United States are now in Catholic-run medical facilities. In some states the number exceeds 40 percent. — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers, 942

Categorization

• QUESTION: Why does religious status allow pension underfunding? The mechanism is asserted without detail — worth chasing.