Signed by Governor JB Pritzker

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with house amendments and pass a bill that exempts unconditional subsidies from medical financial assistance considerations.

Highlights:

• Defines “rural hospital” as a hospital located outside of a metropolitan statistical area. (Sec 5).

• Defines “Critical Access Hospital” as a hospital designated as such by the federal Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. (Sec 5).

• Requires hospitals to provide a discount to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 600% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10)

• Exempts rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (Sec. 10).

• Requires hospitals to provide a 100% discount for all medically necessary services that exceed $150 to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 200% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10).

• Requires rural and Critical Access hospitals to provide discounts for medically necessary services that exceed $300 to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 300% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10).

• Requires rural and Critical Access hospitals to provide a 100% discount for all medically necessary services that exceed $300 to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 125% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10).

• Requires hospitals to exclude the consideration of funds received from guareenteed income program when determining eligibility if (Sec. 10):

• Funds are excluded from determination of eligibility for insurance programs run by the state; and

• The program is designed to assist in reducing poverty and promoting social mobility.

• Prohibits bill collections over a 12-month period that exceed 20% of the patients family income (Sec. 10).

• Requires state and local governments to exclude restitution payments when determining eligibility (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that exempts unconditional subsidies from medical financial assistance considerations.

Highlights:

• Defines “rural hospital” as a hospital located outside of a metropolitan statistical area. (Sec 5).

• Defines “Critical Access Hospital” as a hospital designated as such by the federal Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. (Sec 5).

• Requires hospitals to provide a discount to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 600% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10)

• Exempts rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (Sec. 10).

• Requires hospitals to provide a 100% discount for all medically necessary services that exceed $150 to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 200% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10).

• Requires rural and Critical Access hospitals to provide discounts for medically necessary services that exceed $300 to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 300% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10).

• Requires rural and Critical Access hospitals to provide a 100% discount for all medically necessary services that exceed $300 to any uninsured patient who applies for the discount and whose family income is below 125% of the federal poverty income line. (Sec 10).

• Requires hospitals to exclude the consideration of funds received from guareenteed income program when determining eligibility if (Sec. 10):

• Funds are excluded from determination of eligibility for insurance programs run by the state; and

• The program is designed to assist in reducing poverty and promoting social mobility.

• Prohibits bill collections over a 12-month period that exceed 20% of the patients family income (Sec. 10).

• Requires state and local governments to exclude restitution payments when determining eligibility (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text