State Representative Amy Grant commended bipartisan efforts resulting in $250 million in additional federal funding to ensure Illinois hospitals are equipped during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2541 on July 7 renewing the Hospital Assessment Program.
Rep. Grant joined in supporting the new Hospital Assessment Program when it was before the Illinois House in May and praised its bipartisan support. “This was a great example of bipartisanship. We were able to address the needs of our diverse state through a true compromise where varying points of view were respected. This is exactly the kind of process we need more of the legislature.”
The Hospital Assessment Program is a $3.8 billion program that will bring in over $250 million additional federal dollars to the state. The program consists of $450 million in additional funding for hospitals since the last assessment four years ago. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) worked with the General Assembly and stakeholders to distribute funding in a manner that increased funding to all hospitals in Illinois, while prioritizing hospitals that serve a high number of Medicaid patients.
The legislation helps make the Medicaid program more responsive to the needs of individual members on where to seek care. Funding is also reserved to improve access to health care services, including diagnostic and treatment services, in under resourced communities across the state. Payments to hospitals will be more transparent and the billing system will be simplified for some services like laboratory tests performed by hospitals.