Public Act 098-0881
 
HB5828 EnrolledLRB098 17201 RPS 52293 b


  
    AN ACT concerning regulation.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
    Section 5. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act 
is amended  by changing Section 3.87 as follows:
 
    (210 ILCS 50/3.87)
    Sec. 3.87. Ambulance service provider and vehicle service 
provider upgrades; rural population.
    (a) In this Section, "rural ambulance service provider" 
means an ambulance service provider licensed under this Act 
that serves a rural population of 7,500 or fewer inhabitants. 
    In this Section, "rural vehicle service provider" means an 
entity that serves a rural population of 7,500 or fewer 
inhabitants and is licensed by the Department to provide 
emergency or non-emergency medical services in compliance with 
this Act, the rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this 
Act, and an operational plan approved by the entity's EMS 
System, utilizing at least an ambulance, alternate response 
vehicle as defined by the Department in rules, or specialized 
emergency medical services vehicle. 
    (b) A rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle 
service provider may submit a proposal to the EMS System 
Medical Director requesting approval of either or both of the 
following:
        (1) Rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle 
    service provider in-field service level upgrade.
            (A) An ambulance operated by a rural ambulance 
        service provider or a specialized emergency medical 
        services vehicle or alternate response vehicle 
        operated by a rural vehicle service provider may be 
        upgraded, as defined by the EMS System Medical Director 
        in a policy or procedure, as long as the EMS System 
        Medical Director and the Department have approved the 
        proposal, to the highest level of EMT license (advanced 
        life support/paramedic, intermediate life support, or 
        basic life support) held by any person staffing that 
        ambulance, specialized emergency medical services 
        vehicle, or alternate response vehicle. The ambulance 
        service provider's or rural vehicle service provider's 
        proposal for an upgrade must include all of the 
        following:
                (i) The manner in which the provider will 
            secure and store advanced life support equipment, 
            supplies, and medications.
                (ii) The type of quality assurance the 
            provider will perform.
                (iii) An assurance that the provider will 
            advertise only the level of care that can be 
            provided 24 hours a day.
                (iv) A statement that the provider will have 
            that vehicle inspected by the Department annually. 
            (B) If a rural ambulance service provider or rural 
        vehicle service provider is approved to provide an 
        in-field service level upgrade based on the licensed 
        personnel on the vehicle, all the advanced life support 
        medical supplies, durable medical equipment, and 
        medications must be environmentally controlled, 
        secured, and locked with access by only the personnel 
        who have been authorized by the EMS System Medical 
        Director to utilize those supplies.
            (C) The EMS System shall routinely perform quality 
        assurance, in compliance with the EMS System's quality 
        assurance plan approved by the Department, on in-field 
        service level upgrades authorized under this Section 
        to ensure compliance with the EMS System plan.
        (2) Rural ambulance service provider or rural vehicle 
    service provider in-field service level upgrade. The EMS 
    System Medical Director may define what constitutes an 
    in-field service level upgrade through an EMS System policy 
    or procedure.
An in-field service level upgrade may 
    include, but need not be limited to, an upgrade to a 
    licensed ambulance, alternate response vehicle as defined 
    by the Department in rules, or specialized emergency 
    medical services vehicle.
    (c) If the EMS System Medical Director approves a proposal 
for a rural in-field service level upgrade under this Section, 
he or she shall submit the proposal to the Department along 
with a statement of approval signed by him or her.  Once the 
Department has approved the proposal, the rural ambulance 
service provider or rural vehicle service provider will be 
authorized to function at the highest level of EMT license 
(advanced life support/paramedic, intermediate life support, 
or basic life support) held by any person staffing the vehicle.

(Source: P.A. 98-608, eff. 12-27-13.)
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.