210 ILCS 85/8

(210 ILCS 85/8) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 149)

Sec. 8. Facility plan review; fees.

(a) Before commencing construction of new facilities or specified types of alteration or additions to an existing hospital involving major construction, as defined by rule by the Department, with an estimated cost greater than $100,000, architectural plans and specifications therefor shall be submitted by the licensee to the Department for review and approval. A hospital may submit architectural drawings and specifications for other construction projects for Department review according to subsection (b) that shall not be subject to fees under subsection (d). The Department must give a hospital that is planning to submit a construction project for review the opportunity to discuss its plans and specifications with the Department before the hospital formally submits the plans and specifications for Department review. Review of drawings and specifications shall be conducted by an employee of the Department meeting the qualifications established by the Department of Central Management Services class specifications for such an individual's position or by a person contracting with the Department who meets those class specifications. Final approval of the plans and specifications for compliance with design and construction standards shall be obtained from the Department before the alteration, addition, or new construction is begun. Subject to this Section 8, and prior to January 1, 2012, the Department shall consider the re-licensing of an existing hospital structure according to the standards for an existing hospital, as set forth in the Department's rules. Re-licensing under this provision shall occur only if that facility operated as a licensed hospital on July 1, 2005, has had no intervening use as other than a hospital, and exists in a county with a population of less than 20,000 that does not have another licensed hospital on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.

(b) The Department shall inform an applicant in writing within 10 working days after receiving drawings and specifications and the required fee, if any, from the applicant whether the applicant's submission is complete or incomplete. Failure to provide the applicant with this notice within 10 working days shall result in the submission being deemed complete for purposes of initiating the 60-day review period under this Section. If the submission is incomplete, the Department shall inform the applicant of the deficiencies with the submission in writing. If the submission is complete and the required fee, if any, has been paid, the Department shall approve or disapprove drawings and specifications submitted to the Department no later than 60 days following receipt by the Department. The drawings and specifications shall be of sufficient detail, as provided by Department rule, to enable the Department to render a determination of compliance with design and construction standards under this Act. If the Department finds that the drawings are not of sufficient detail for it to render a determination of compliance, the plans shall be determined to be incomplete and shall not be considered for purposes of initiating the 60 day review period. If a submission of drawings and specifications is incomplete, the applicant may submit additional information. The 60-day review period shall not commence until the Department determines that a submission of drawings and specifications is complete or the submission is deemed complete. If the Department has not approved or disapproved the drawings and specifications within 60 days, the construction, major alteration, or addition shall be deemed approved. If the drawings and specifications are disapproved, the Department shall state in writing, with specificity, the reasons for the disapproval. The entity submitting the drawings and specifications may submit additional information in response to the written comments from the Department or request a reconsideration of the disapproval. A final decision of approval or disapproval shall be made within 45 days of the receipt of the additional information or reconsideration request. A final decision shall be subject to review under the Administrative Review Law.

(c) The Department shall provide written approval for occupancy pursuant to subsection (g) and shall not issue a violation to a facility as a result of a licensure or complaint survey based upon the facility's physical structure if:

(1) the Department reviewed and approved or deemed approved the drawing and specifications for compliance with design and construction standards;

(2) the construction, major alteration, or addition was built as submitted;

(3) the law or rules have not been amended since the original approval; and

(4) the conditions at the facility indicate that there is a reasonable degree of safety provided for the patients.

(c-5) The Department shall not issue a violation to a facility if the inspected aspects of the facility were previously found to be in compliance with applicable standards, the relevant law or rules have not been amended, conditions at the facility reasonably protect the safety of its patients, and alterations or new hazards have not been identified.

(d) The Department shall charge the following fees in connection with its reviews conducted before June 30, 2004 under this Section:

(1) (Blank).

(2) (Blank).

(3) If the estimated dollar value of the major construction is greater than $500,000, the fee shall be established by the Department pursuant to rules that reflect the reasonable and direct cost of the Department in conducting the architectural reviews required under this Section. The estimated dollar value of the major construction subject to review under this Section shall be annually readjusted to reflect the increase in construction costs due to inflation.

The fees provided in this subsection (d) shall not apply to major construction projects involving facility changes that are required by Department rule amendments or to projects related to homeland security.

The fees provided in this subsection (d) shall also not apply to major construction projects if 51% or more of the estimated cost of the project is attributed to capital equipment. For major construction projects where 51% or more of the estimated cost of the project is attributed to capital equipment, the Department shall by rule establish a fee that is reasonably related to the cost of reviewing the project.

Disproportionate share hospitals and rural hospitals shall only pay one-half of the fees required in this subsection (d). For the purposes of this subsection (d), (i) "disproportionate share hospital" means a hospital described in items (1) through (5) of subsection (b) of Section 5-5.02 of the Illinois Public Aid Code and (ii) "rural hospital" means a hospital that is (A) located outside a metropolitan statistical area or (B) located 15 miles or less from a county that is outside a metropolitan statistical area and is licensed to perform medical/surgical or obstetrical services and has a combined total bed capacity of 75 or fewer beds in these 2 service categories as of July 14, 1993, as determined by the Department.

The Department shall not commence the facility plan review process under this Section until the applicable fee has been paid.

(e) All fees received by the Department under this Section shall be deposited into the Health Facility Plan Review Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. All fees paid by hospitals under subsection (d) shall be used only to cover the direct and reasonable costs relating to the Department's review of hospital projects under this Section. Moneys shall be appropriated from that Fund to the Department only to pay the costs of conducting reviews under this Section. None of the moneys in the Health Facility Plan Review Fund shall be used to reduce the amount of General Revenue Fund moneys appropriated to the Department for facility plan reviews conducted pursuant to this Section.

(f) (Blank).

(g) The Department shall conduct an on-site inspection of the completed project no later than 15 business days after notification from the applicant that the project has been completed and all certifications required by the Department have been received and accepted by the Department. The Department may extend this deadline only if a federally mandated survey time frame takes precedence. The Department shall provide written approval for occupancy to the applicant within 5 working days of the Department's final inspection, provided the applicant has demonstrated substantial compliance as defined by Department rule. Occupancy of new major construction is prohibited until Department approval is received, unless the Department has not acted within the time frames provided in this subsection (g), in which case the construction shall be deemed approved. Occupancy shall be authorized after any required health inspection by the Department has been conducted.

(h) The Department shall establish, by rule, a procedure to conduct interim on-site review of large or complex construction projects.

(i) The Department shall establish, by rule, an expedited process for emergency repairs or replacement of like equipment.

(j) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to apply to maintenance, upkeep, or renovation that does not affect the structural integrity of the building, does not add beds or services over the number for which the facility is licensed, and provides a reasonable degree of safety for the patients.

(Source: P.A. 99-639, eff. 7-28-16.)