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[ House Amendment 001 ] |
90_HB1030 410 ILCS 65/2 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 8052 410 ILCS 65/3.3 new Amends the Illinois Rural/Downstate Health Act. Defines "health care network" as a nonprofit entity, consisting of health care providers and others, that is organized to plan and deliver health care services in areas where there is a shortage of health care providers. Provides that the Center for Rural Health may create health care networks that include members that provide public health, comprehensive primary care, emergency medical care, and acute patient care. Establishes the organization of and services that may be provided by the network. LRB9000917SMdv LRB9000917SMdv 1 AN ACT to amend the Illinois Rural/Downstate Health Act 2 by changing Section 2 and adding Section 3.3. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 5. The Illinois Rural/Downstate Health Act is 6 amended by changing Section 2 and adding Section 3.3 as 7 follows: 8 (410 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 8052) 9 Sec. 2. The General Assembly finds that citizens in the 10 rural, downstate and designated shortage areas of this State 11 are increasingly faced with problems in accessing necessary 12 health care. The closure of small rural hospitals, the 13 inability of these areas to attract new physicians, the 14 elimination of existing physician services because of 15 increasing practice costs, including the cost of providing 16 malpractice insurance, and the lack of systems of emergency 17 medical care contribute to the access problems experience by 18 these residents. While Illinois is not unique in experiencing 19 these problems, the need to maintain or enhance the economies 20 of these areas of the State requires that new and innovative 21 strategies be identified and implemented to respond to the 22 health care needs of residents of these areas. It is 23 therefore the intent of this General Assembly to create a 24 program to respond to this problem. 25 For purposes of this Act, "designated shortage areas" 26 means medically underserved areas or health manpower shortage 27 area as defined by the United States Department of Health and 28 Human Services or as otherwise designated by the Illinois 29 Department of Public Health. 30 "Health care network" or "network" means a nonprofit 31 legal entity, consisting of rural and urban health care -2- LRB9000917SMdv 1 providers and others, that is organized to plan and deliver 2 health care services on a cooperative basis in areas where 3 there is a shortage of health care providers, except for some 4 secondary and tertiary care services. 5 (Source: P.A. 86-965; 86-1187.) 6 (410 ILCS 65/3.3 new) 7 Sec. 3.3. Health care networks. 8 (a) The Center may create health care networks that 9 include members that provide public health, comprehensive 10 primary care, emergency medical care, and acute patient care. 11 (b) If they are established, these networks may make 12 available health promotion, disease prevention, and primary 13 care services. They may have multiple points of entry, 14 including but not limited to, private physicians, community 15 health centers, county public health units, certified rural 16 health clinics, hospitals, or other providers; or they may 17 have a single point of entry. 18 (c) If they are established, these networks may develop 19 provisions for referral to tertiary inpatient care and to 20 other services not available in areas where there is a 21 shortage of health care providers. They may establish 22 standard protocols, coordinate and share patient records, and 23 develop patient information exchange systems. They may also 24 develop risk management and quality assurance programs for 25 network providers. 26 (d) Network areas do not need to conform to local 27 political boundaries or State administrative district 28 boundaries. 29 (e) If they are established, these networks may be 30 governed and organized in accordance with the following: 31 (1) They may be incorporated under the laws of this 32 State. 33 (2) They may have a board of directors that derives -3- LRB9000917SMdv 1 membership from local government, health care providers, 2 businesses, consumers, and others. The boards of 3 directors may be responsible for determining the content 4 of health care provider arrangements that link network 5 members. The agreements may specify the following: 6 (A) Who provides what services. 7 (B) The extent the health care provider 8 provides care to persons who lack insurance or are 9 otherwise unable to pay for care. 10 (C) The procedures for transfer of medical 11 records. 12 (D) The method used for the transportation of 13 patients between providers. 14 (E) Referral and patient flow, including 15 appointments and scheduling. 16 (F) Payment arrangements for the transfer or 17 referral of patients. 18 (f) If they are established, these networks, to the 19 extent feasible, may ensure the availability of the following 20 services either directly, by contract, or through referral 21 arrangements: 22 (1) Services available in the home, including home 23 health care and hospice care. 24 (2) Services accessible within 30 minutes travel 25 time or less, including the following: 26 (A) Emergency medical services, including 27 advanced life support, ambulance, and basic 28 emergency room services. 29 (B) Primary care and prenatal care. 30 (C) Community-based services for elders, 31 including adult day care and assistance with 32 activities of daily living. 33 (D) Public health services, including 34 communicable disease control, disease prevention, -4- LRB9000917SMdv 1 health education, and health promotion. 2 (E) Outpatient psychiatric and substance abuse 3 services. 4 (3) Services accessible within 45 minutes travel 5 time or less: 6 (A) Hospital acute inpatient care for persons 7 whose illnesses or medical problems are not severe. 8 (B) Level I obstetrical care, which includes 9 labor and delivery for low risk patients. 10 (C) Skilled nursing services, long term care, 11 including nursing home care. 12 (D) Dialysis. 13 (E) Osteopathic and chiropractic manipulative 14 therapy. 15 (4) Services accessible within 2 hours travel time 16 or less: 17 (A) Specialist physician care. 18 (B) Hospital acute patient care for severe 19 illnesses and medical problems. 20 (C) Level II and III obstetrical care, which 21 includes labor and delivery for high-risk patients 22 and neonatal intensive care. 23 (D) Comprehensive medical rehabilitation. 24 (E) Inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse 25 services. 26 (F) Magnetic resonance imaging, lithotripter 27 treatment, advanced radiology, and other 28 technologically advanced services. 29 (G) Subacute care. 30 (g) If they are established, these networks may actively 31 participate with area health education center programs, 32 whenever feasible, in developing and implementing 33 recruitment, training, and retention programs directed at 34 positively influencing the supply and distribution of health -5- LRB9000917SMdv 1 care professionals serving in, or training in, network areas. 2 (h) As funds become available, networks may emphasize 3 community care alternatives for elders who would otherwise be 4 placed in nursing homes. 5 (i) In those network areas that have an established 6 trauma agency approved by the Illinois Department of Public 7 Health, that trauma agency may be a participant in the 8 network. 9 (j) If they are established, these networks may use all 10 sources of public and private funds to support network 11 activities. 12 (k) As funds become available, networks may be developed 13 and implemented in 2 phases. Phase I may consist of a 14 network planning and development grant program. Planning 15 grants shall be used to organize networks, incorporate 16 network boards, and develop formal provider agreements as 17 provided for in this Section. Phase II may consist of 18 network operations. As funds become available, certified 19 networks may be eligible to receive grant funds to be used to 20 help defray the costs of providing patient care. 21 (l) For purposes of certifying networks that are 22 eligible for Phase II funding, the Center, in consultation 23 with the Illinois Department of Public Health, may certify 24 networks that meet the criteria delineated in this Section. 25 (m) The Center, in consultation with the Illinois 26 Department of Public Health, may establish rules that govern 27 the creation and certification of networks, including 28 establishing outcome measures for networks.