SPRINGFIELD — The wait is nearly over for Provena Covenant Medical Center and Champaign County’s local taxing districts.

The Illinois Supreme Court is expected to issue its long-awaited decision Thursday morning on whether the hospital is property tax-exempt. Arguments on that case were heard before the high court last September.

The Illinois Department of Revenue removed the hospital’s longtime tax exemption in 2004, on the recommendation of the Champaign County Board of Review, finding the hospital didn’t qualify as either a charitable or religious institution.

The Supreme Court decision stands to affect other not-for-profit hospitals throughout Illinois, depending on how broadly the court chooses to rule.

At stake financially for Provena and taxing districts in Champaign County is more than $1 million a year in property taxes the hospital had been paying to the city, school district, park district and other taxing bodies. In all, the hospital had paid $6.1 million between 2003 and 2007 — money local governments didn’t get to keep as the case moved through the court system, but stand to have refunded to them if Covenant loses in the final round.

Also in question is the status of another $2.2 million the hospital would have owed for the last two tax years. Champaign County Circuit Court Judge Michael Jones excused the hospital from paying taxes the last two tax years while a final decision was pending.