House Sponsors: WOOLARD-BLACK-BRUNSVOLD-BOST-JONES,JOHN AND TENHOUSE. Senate Sponsors: WATSON-REA-O'DANIEL Short description: HOSPITAL COOPERATION ACT Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the Health Facilities Planning Act. Adds a caption and makes a stylistic change to the Section creating the Health Facilities Planning Board. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 3960/4 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 3960/13.5 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.9 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.10 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.15 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.20 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.25 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.30 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.35 new 740 ILCS 10/5 Deletes everything. Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Provides that health care providers may enter into agreements concerning the allocation of health care equipment and services among those providers with immunity from civil and criminal liability under the Illinois and federal antitrust Acts. States goals that the agreements must be designed to achieve. Provides that only agreements approved by the Health Facilities Planning Board have the benefit of the immunity conferred by the Act. Provides that the Board may rescind approval of the agreement if certain conditions have not been met. Provides that the Attorney General may proceed with criminal or civil liability actions under the Illinois Antitrust Act against health care providers who have exceeded the scope of the actions authorized by this amendatory Act. Amends the Illinois Antitrust Act. Provides that the Act does not prohibit health care providers and their boards, officers, and employees from negotiating, entering into, and implementing cooperative agreements approved by the Health Facilities Planning Board. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 3. Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 3960/13.5 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.9 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.10 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.15 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.20 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.25 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.30 new 20 ILCS 3960/13.35 new Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 3960/4 from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1154 Deletes everything. Amends the Health Facilities Planning Act. Adds a caption and makes a stylistic change to the Section regarding the Health Facilities Planning Board. SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1. (Senate recedes May 27, 1999) Adds an immediate effective date. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 1. Recommends that the Senate recede from S-am 1. Recommends that the bill be amended as follows: Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 3960/4 Adds reference to: New Act 740 ILCS 10/5 Deletes everything. Creates the Hospital Cooperation Act. Authorizes a health care cooperative agreement that is not subject to antitrust laws in Health Service Area V, a designated area consisting of 30 named counties in southern Illinois. Creates the Cooperative Hospital Agreement Board. Provides that the Board, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall commission a study to determine whether allowing a cooperative agreement will enhance the quality of and access to open-heart surgery in Health Service Area V. Provides the Board shall issue a written decision regarding an application for a permit to enter into a cooperative agreement based on the recommen- dation of the Attorney General and that the decision shall contain specified findings of fact. Provides that appeals of Board decisions are subject to the terms of the Administrative Review Law, and any person adversely affected by a decision to grant or deny a permit has standing to obtain judicial review of that decision. Provides that the Act does not require a health care provider to obtain approval from the Board of any cooperative agreement. Provides that the Board shall supervise, monitor, and regulate approved agreements. Provides that the Board shall periodically review existing permits. Provides that the Board may impose an administrative fine of up to $10,000 per day on a party who is not in compliance with the terms of an agreement. Provides the Board may revoke an agreement if specified conditions exist. Provides that the Act does not provide immunity for non-approved agreements in violation of antitrust laws. Provides that the Attorney General may institute antitrust proceedings if parties to an agreement have exceeded the scope of activities permitted by the Act. Provides the Board shall adopt rules for implementation of the Act on an emergency basis and shall subsequently adopt identical or different rules. Amends the Illinois Antitrust Act. Provides that the Act does not make illegal the activities of any person licensed by the State of Illinois under the Hospital Licensing Act, or such a licensee's governing board members and officers, in discussing, negotiating, and entering into a cooperative agreement with another licensed hospital to develop and jointly operate under State supervision hospital-based open-heart surgery as authorized under the Hospital Cooperation Act. Effective immediately. Last action on Bill: TOTAL VETO STANDS Last action date: 99-12-02 Location: House Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 2 SENATE - 1 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status