State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ 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.

[ Top ]