The difference between hospitals that are for profit and non-profit is simply where the money is coming from and where it's going to.

Patrick Thomson, an accountant with Thompson and Paquet, said it comes down to who benefits. "For profit benefits the owners or the companies, and their profits are taxed. A non-profit, the proceeds are used to further their mission and a greater good, whatever that mission is at the non-profit. Therefore, the funds aren't taxed," said Thomson.

Thomson also says the IRS closely monitors where non-profits channel their funding. Facebooker, Laurel Logan writes, "Most for-profit hospitals will accept patients long enough to stabilize them, then ship them off to non-profit hospitals."

But, no matter a hospital's status, they're required to treat everyone, no matter their ability to pay. So, how does non-profit hospitals stay open?

Larry Skendcel, the Medical Director at Lake Superior Hospice, says from a variety of sources.  "They may get grants, they may be able to use insurance, but the important thing is that they've got a board of people from the community that are sitting and helping make sure that money is getting used in the correct way," said Skendcel.