A number of the nation’s elite hospitals make some kind of payment to the cities in which they are located, in lieu of taxes or for specific services.

These range from very little to nearly $2 million a year. The Cleveland Clinic is ranked fourth on the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of best hospitals that excelled in at least six of 17 specialties. University Hospitals (UH) also is ranked among the top in various specialties. Both the Clinic and UH prominently use these rankings in their marketing. Four of the other 13 hospitals listed on the U.S. News Honor Roll are state institutions.