Section 1125.130  Purpose

a)         The purpose of the Act is to establish a procedure designed to reverse the trends of increasing costs of health care, including long-term care, resulting from unnecessary construction of health care facilities.  This program is established to:

1)         improve the financial ability of the public to obtain necessary health services, establish an orderly and comprehensive health care delivery system which will guarantee the availability of quality health care to the general public;

2)         maintain and improve the provision of essential health care services and increase the accessibility of those services to the medically underserved and indigent;

3)         assure that the reduction and closure of health care services or facilities is performed in an orderly and timely manner, and that these actions are deemed to be in the best interests of the public; and

4)         assess the financial burden to patients/residents caused by unnecessary health care construction and modification.  [20 ILCS 3960/2]

b)         Decisions regarding proposed new health services and facilities shall be made for reasons having to do with the community health needs in the various parts of the State.  The burden of proof on all issues pertaining to an application shall be on the applicant.

c)         The health facilities and services review program shall be administered with the goal of maximizing the efficiency of capital investment and the objectives of:

1)         Promoting development of more effective methods of delivering long-term care;

2)         Improving distribution of LTC facilities and services and ensuring access to needed LTC services for the general public, the medically indigent and similar underserved populations;

3)         Controlling the increase of LTC costs;

4)         Promoting planning for LTC services at the facility, regional and State levels;

5)         Maximizing the use of existing LTC facilities and services that represent the least costly and most appropriate levels of care; and

6)         Minimizing the unnecessary duplication of LTC facilities and services.