Following World War II, the federal government encouraged the building of hospitals and other health care facilities by providing funds for expansion and development. These funds, made available through the Hill- Burton Construction Act (Titles VI and XVI of the Public Health Service [PHS] Act), spurred the development of community hospitals, nursing homes, public health centers and rehabilitation facilities. In accepting Hill- Burton funds, public and nonprofit medical facilities agreed to make services available to persons in the facilities’ service area without discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed or ability to pay for 20 years following the facilities’ completion. Hill-Burton facilities were required to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and they were required to post public notice of their community service obligation.