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Politically expedient changes made to the Health Facilities Planning
Board in recent years have actually reduced its ability to operate
effectively, according to a report released Wednesday by the Senate
Republican Health Facilities Planning Board Task Force. The
chairman of the task force, state
Sen. Bill Brady,
R-Bloomington, says the reforms adopted by the current
administration to address charges of political corruption and
influence-peddling have had a detrimental impact on the ability of
the Health Facilities Planning Board to operate effectively. The
task force is recommending the reform of board procedures, the
improvement of board operations and preparing for the future.
The task force was formed in June to take a closer look at the
politically charged and increasingly litigious process that had
become all too common in determining health facility construction
and modification. Other task force members are state Sens. Pam
Althoff of McHenry, Dale Righter of Mattoon and Brad Burzynski of
Clare.
"Allegations of corruption at the Illinois Health Facilities
Planning Board resulted in changes by the current administration.
Although these changes were portrayed as reforms, the Senate
Republican task force found that they only restricted the board's
ability to operate efficiently," Brady said.
The task force conducted public hearings throughout the state to
examine the efficiency, objectivity and utility of the board. After
hearings in Chicago, Springfield and Plainfield, the task force
found that structural and operational reforms are necessary for the
board's efficient operation, as is a comprehensive review of the
usefulness of the board and the certificate-of-need process in the
governance of the health care industry.
Althoff says the task force has developed a set of
recommendations that, if enacted, will enable the board to better
carry out its mission to improve the quality of health care
facilities, services and equipment, while addressing the issues of
community need, accessibility and financing.
"This was an opportunity to take an advisory board and make them
proactive," said Althoff. "Not only does this board hear and
evaluate applications for new health care facilities, but more
importantly, they should serve as Illinois' health care planning
agency. The message that we consistently heard at every task force
hearing -- from medical providers, health care consumers and the
planning board's staff -- was that there needs to be a comprehensive
plan for health care in the state of Illinois."
Righter says it was important to meet with the men and women who
work in health care facilities around the state, as well as the
consumers who use their services.
"We needed to take feedback from medical providers, health
administrators and others who work in the health care field on a
daily basis," Righter said. "But more importantly, we needed to hear
from health care consumers, the very people whose interests are
central to what this board is entrusted to do."
Burzynski says the task force's recommendations are an important
first step in making the system work for the people it serves.
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 "There are certainly improvements that can -- and should -- be
made to the current certificate-of-need process," said Burzynski.
"The task force's findings only reinforced the importance of
establishing a system that is removed from politics and based
entirely on merit and need. By allowing the system to operate as it
has been, I believe that the state is doing a disservice to the very
people that this board was created to serve."
The Senate Republican Health Facilities Planning Board Task Force
recommendations will add stability, efficiency, predictability and
greater accountability to the health facilities planning process:
Reform board procedures
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Adopt a model that
shifts the burden of proof. Instead of assuming that new
facilities are not needed and requiring an applicant to prove
that a need exists for a new facility, create a presumption that
new and expanded facilities should be approved unless the board
provides documentation that a facility will either add to the
costs of health care or curtail access.
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Require the board
to provide written decisions of all substantive actions taken by
the board (similar to other regulatory agencies, such as the
Illinois Commerce Commission).
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Require at least
one board member to be present at each public hearing.
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Require the board
to convene a subcommittee to regularly review rules and make
annual recommendations for rule revisions.
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Require the board
to promulgate rules that identify high-growth areas of the state
and give special consideration to those areas when a request
from those areas is pending before the board.
Improve board operations
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Increase board
membership from five members (currently four members serve with
one vacancy) to nine members.
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Reinstate
categorical membership to the board (one physician, one hospital
representative, one nursing representative, one nursing home
representative, one representative with health care financing
expertise).
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Reduce board
membership restrictions (relative ties to health care industry
should not preclude service on the board).
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Extend board
sunset date to June 30, 2011.
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Exempt the
Illinois Health Facilities Planning Fund from Section 8(h) of
the Illinois State Finance Act (fund chargeback authority).
Prepare for the future
Convene a task force of the General Assembly to examine and
report on future recommendations concerning the board.
[News release from
Illinois
Senate Republicans]
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