093_SB1402

 
                                     LRB093 07695 RCE 07880 b

 1        AN ACT concerning public health.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.   The  Department of Public Health Powers and
 5    Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code  of  Illinois  is
 6    amended by changing Section 2310-220 as follows:

 7        (20 ILCS 2310/2310-220) (was 20 ILCS 2310/55.73)
 8        Sec.  2310-220.  Findings;  rural  obstetrical care.  The
 9    General  Assembly  finds  that  substantial  areas  of  rural
10    Illinois lack  adequate  access  to  obstetrical  care.   The
11    primary  cause  of  this  problem is the absence of qualified
12    practitioners who are willing to offer obstetrical  services.
13    A  significant  barrier  to  recruiting  and  retaining those
14    practitioners is the  high  cost  of  professional  liability
15    insurance for practitioners offering obstetrical care.
16        Therefore,  the  Department,  from  any  funds  available
17    appropriated  for  that  purpose,  must shall award grants to
18    physicians practicing obstetrics in rural designated shortage
19    areas, as defined in Section  3.04  of  the  Family  Practice
20    Residency   Act,   for   the  purpose  of  reimbursing  those
21    physicians for the costs of obtaining  malpractice  insurance
22    relating  to obstetrical services.  The Department must shall
23    establish  reasonable  conditions,  standards,   and   duties
24    relating to the application for and receipt of the grants.
25    (Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)

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