It is the largest group of non-profit health care providers in the nation.
The association is led by Sr. Mary Haddad, a member of the Sisters of Mercy.
[citation needed] CHA created a controversy within the Catholic Church when it disagreed the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and came out in support of Barack Obama's health care overhaul, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
[2] The USCCB believed the overhaul could provide for taxpayer funded abortion; the CHA said this was a "false claim".
At least one bishop, Thomas Joseph Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, withdrew his diocese's hospitals from membership in the CHA, saying, "Your enthusiastic support of the legislation, in contradiction of the bishops of the United States, provided an excuse for members of Congress, misled the public and caused a serious scandal for many members of the church" and said it was "embarrassing" to be associated with the CHA.