In the News

Daily Herald, September 10, 2006

On July 31, the governor signed into law Senate Bill 2170 (now PA 94-1063), which amends the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act and the Hospital Licensing Act.

The Illinois State Ambulance Association was very involved with the passage of this legislation, along with the statewide nursing home and hospital organizations. But more importantly, the success of this bill came about as a result of the tireless efforts of state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat.

Senate Bill 2170 provides that if a long-term care facility or hospital orders transportation of a resident/patient of that facility by ambulance, the facility must maintain a written record, etc., of the request for transportation.

This proposal attempts to curb unnecessary and more costly forms of medical transportation that are later determined to be medically unnecessary by insurers and then billed to the patient.

The final form of the bill was the work product of all the parties involved and will ultimately better protect the consumer and his pocketbook. It takes a commonsense approach to keeping medical costs down.

We believe the public will be better served as a result of the implementation of this new law on Jan. 31, 2007. We appreciate and especially want to thank the legislative efforts of Sen. Garrett. It's the way lawmakers are supposed to do business in Springfield.

Andrew F. Thornton

Secretary, Illinois State Ambulance Association

Canton