210 ILCS 88/1
Short title
Short title. This Act may be cited as the Fair Patient Billing Act. (Source: P.A. 94-885, eff. 1-1-07.)
Illinois Compiled Statutes 210 ILCS 88 — Fair Patient Billing Act.
Illinois · statute · 210 ILCS 88 · 20 active provisions
210 ILCS 88/5
Purpose; findings
Purpose; findings. (a) The purpose of this Act is to advance the prompt and accurate payment of health care services through fair and reasonable billing and collection practices of hospitals. (b) The General Assembly finds that: (1) Medical debts are the cause of an increasing number of bankruptcies in Illinois and are…
210 ILCS 88/10
Definitions
Definitions. As used in this Act: "Collection action" means any referral of a bill to a collection agency or law firm to collect payment for services from a patient or a patient's guarantor for hospital services. "Health care plan" means a health insurance company, health maintenance organization, preferred provider ar…
210 ILCS 88/12
Facility fee disclosure
Facility fee disclosure. If a hospital charges a facility fee for outpatient services separate and distinct from a professional fee, then the hospital shall develop a policy to inform patients as soon as reasonably practicable that they may be subject to a facility fee. The policy shall include, but not be limited to,…
210 ILCS 88/15
Patient notification
Patient notification. (a) Each hospital shall post a sign with the following notice: "You may be eligible for financial assistance under the terms and conditions the hospital offers to qualified patients. For more information contact [hospital financial assistance representative]". (b) The sign under subsection (a) sha…
210 ILCS 88/16
Screening patients for health insurance and financial assistance
Screening patients for health insurance and financial assistance. (a) All hospitals shall screen each uninsured patient, upon the uninsured patient's agreement, at the earliest reasonable moment for potential eligibility for both: (1) public health insurance programs; and (2) any financial assistance offered by the hos…
210 ILCS 88/20
Bill information
Bill information. If a hospital bills a patient for health care services, the hospital shall provide with its bill the following information: (1) the date or dates that health care services were provided to the patient; (2) a brief description of the hospital services; (3) the amount owed for hospital services; (4) hos…
210 ILCS 88/25
Bill inquiries
Bill inquiries. (a) A hospital must implement a process for patients to inquire about or dispute a bill. Such process must include a telephone number for billing inquiries and disputes and may include any of the following options: (1) a toll-free telephone number that the patient may call; (2) an address to which he or…
210 ILCS 88/27
Application procedures for financial assistance
Application procedures for financial assistance. (a) Applications. The Attorney General shall, by rule, adopt provisions for a uniform financial assistance form to be included in all applications for financial assistance. On or before December 31, 2026, interested stakeholders may submit to the Attorney General recomme…
210 ILCS 88/30
(Text of Section before amendment by P
(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-490) Sec. 30. Pursuing collection action. (a) Hospitals and their agents may pursue collection action against an uninsured patient only if the following conditions are met: (1) The hospital has complied with the screening requirements set forth in Section 16 and applied and…
210 ILCS 88/35
Collection limitations
Collection limitations. (a) The hospital shall not pursue legal action for non-payment of a hospital bill against uninsured patients who have clearly demonstrated that they have neither sufficient income nor assets to meet their financial obligations provided the patient has complied with Section 45 of this Act. (b) A…
210 ILCS 88/40
Hospital agents
Hospital agents. The hospital must ensure that any external collection agency, law firm, or individual engaged by the hospital to obtain payment of outstanding bills for hospital services agrees in writing to comply with the collections provisions of this Act. (Source: P.A. 94-885, eff. 1-1-07.)
210 ILCS 88/45
Patient responsibilities
Patient responsibilities. (a) To receive the protection and benefits of this Act, a patient responsible for paying a hospital bill must act reasonably and cooperate in good faith with the hospital in the screening process by providing the hospital with all of the reasonably requested financial and other relevant inform…
210 ILCS 88/50
Notification concerning out-of-network providers
Notification concerning out-of-network providers. During the admission or as soon as practicable thereafter, the hospital must provide an insured patient with written notice that: (1) the patient may receive separate bills for services provided by health care professionals affiliated with the hospital; (2) if applicabl…
210 ILCS 88/55
Enforcement
Enforcement. (a) The Attorney General is responsible for administering and ensuring compliance with this Act, including the development of any rules necessary for the implementation and enforcement of this Act. (b) The Attorney General shall develop and implement a process for receiving and handling complaints from ind…
210 ILCS 88/60
Limitations
Limitations. Nothing in this Act shall be used by any private or public payer as a basis for reducing the third-party payer's rates, policies, or usual and customary charges for any health care service. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as imposing an obligation on a hospital to provide any particular service or t…
210 ILCS 88/70
Application
Application. (a) This Act applies to all hospitals licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act or the University of Illinois Hospital Act. This Act does not apply to a hospital that does not charge for its services. (b) The obligations of hospitals under this Act shall take effect for services provided on or after the fi…
210 ILCS 88/75
Home rule
Home rule. A home rule unit may not regulate hospitals in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. This Section is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of the Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State. (S…
210 ILCS 88/80
Administrative Procedure Act
Administrative Procedure Act. The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act applies to all rules promulgated by the Attorney General under the Act. (Source: P.A. 94-885, eff. 1-1-07.)
210 ILCS 88/999
Effective date
Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2007. (Source: P.A. 94-885, eff. 1-1-07.)