Searching for approval. Tax-exempt hospitals, systems may find some relief through FHLB letters of credit in last week's housing aid bill.

The bill to aid homeowners that Congress passed last week also offered a gift for tax-exempt healthcare borrowers. The law allows the Federal Home Loan Banks to back tax-exempt bonds with letters of credit, thus letting borrowers benefit from those banks' credit strength. But don't expect the floodgates to open. "Banks are preserving their capital for less risky endeavors," says Kelly Arduino, left, of Wipfli.