(210 ILCS 89/15)
Sec. 15. Patient responsibility.
(a) Hospitals may make the availability of a discount and the maximum collectible amount under this Act contingent upon the uninsured patient first applying for coverage under public programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, AllKids, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or any other program, if there is a reasonable basis to believe that the uninsured patient may be eligible for such program.
(b) Hospitals shall permit an uninsured patient to apply for a discount within 60 days of the date of discharge or date of service.
(1) Income verification. Hospitals may require an
uninsured patient who is requesting an uninsured discount to provide documentation of family income. Acceptable family income documentation shall include any one of the following:
(A) a copy of the most recent tax return;
(B) a copy of the most recent W-2 form and 1099
forms;
(C) copies of the 2 most recent pay stubs;
(D) written income verification from an employer
if paid in cash; or
(E) one other reasonable form of third party
income verification deemed acceptable to the hospital.
(2) Asset verification. Hospitals may require an
uninsured patient who is requesting an uninsured discount to certify the existence of assets owned by the patient and to provide documentation of the value of such assets. Acceptable documentation may include statements from financial institutions or some other third party verification of an asset's value. If no third party verification exists, then the patient shall certify as to the estimated value of the asset.
(3) Illinois resident verification. Hospitals may
require an uninsured patient who is requesting an uninsured discount to verify Illinois residency. Acceptable verification of Illinois residency shall include any one of the following:
(A) any of the documents listed in paragraph (1);
(B) a valid state-issued identification card;
(C) a recent residential utility bill;
(D) a lease agreement;
(E) a vehicle registration card;
(F) a voter registration card;
(G) mail addressed to the uninsured patient at an
Illinois address from a government or other credible source;
(H) a statement from a family member of the
uninsured patient who resides at the same address and presents verification of residency; or
(I) a letter from a homeless shelter,
transitional house or other similar facility verifying that the uninsured patient resides at the facility.
(c) Hospital obligations toward an individual uninsured patient under this Act shall cease if that patient unreasonably fails or refuses to provide the hospital with information or documentation requested under subsection (b) or to apply for coverage under public programs when requested under subsection (a) within 30 days of the hospital's request.
(d) In order for a hospital to determine the 12 month maximum amount that can be collected from a patient deemed eligible under Section 10, an uninsured patient shall inform the hospital in subsequent inpatient admissions or outpatient encounters that the patient has previously received health care services from that hospital and was determined to be entitled to the uninsured discount.
(e) Hospitals may require patients to certify that all of the information provided in the application is true. The application may state that if any of the information is untrue, any discount granted to the patient is forfeited and the patient is responsible for payment of the hospital's full charges.
(Source: P.A. 95-965, eff. 12-22-08.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015