Section 1125.130 Purpose

Section 1125.130  Purpose

a)

The

purpose of the Act is to establish a procedure designed to reverse the trends

of increasing costs of health care

, including long-term care,

resulting

from unnecessary construction of health care facilities.

This program is

established to:

1)

improve

the financial ability of the public to obtain necessary health services,

establish an orderly and comprehensive health care delivery system which will

guarantee the availability of quality health care

to the general public

;

2)

maintain

and improve the provision of essential health care services and increase the

accessibility of those services to the medically underserved and indigent;

3)

assure

that the reduction and closure of health care services or facilities is performed

in an orderly and timely manner, and that these actions are deemed to be in the

best interests of the public; and

4)

assess

the financial burden to patients

/residents

caused by unnecessary health

care construction and modification.

[20 ILCS 3960/2]

b)         Decisions

regarding proposed new health services and facilities shall be made for reasons

having to do with the community health needs in the various parts of the

State.  The burden of proof on all issues pertaining to an application shall be

on the applicant.

c)         The

health facilities and services review program shall be administered with the

goal of maximizing the efficiency of capital investment and the objectives of:

1)         Promoting

development of more effective methods of delivering long-term care;

2)         Improving

distribution of LTC facilities and services and ensuring access to needed LTC

services for the general public, the medically indigent and similar underserved

populations;

3)         Controlling

the increase of LTC costs;

4)         Promoting

planning for LTC services at the facility, regional and State levels;

5)         Maximizing

the use of existing LTC facilities and services that represent the least costly

and most appropriate levels of care; a

ccess to needed LTC

services for the general public, the medically indigent and similar underserved

populations;

3)         Controlling

the increase of LTC costs;

4)         Promoting

planning for LTC services at the facility, regional and State levels;

5)         Maximizing

the use of existing LTC facilities and services that represent the least costly

and most appropriate levels of care; and

6)         Minimizing

the unnecessary duplication of LTC facilities and services.