Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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410 ILCS 65/2

(410 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 8052)

Sec. 2.

The General Assembly finds that citizens in the rural, downstate
and designated shortage areas of this State are increasingly faced with
problems in accessing necessary health care. The closure of small rural
hospitals, the inability of these areas to attract new physicians, the
elimination of  existing physician services because of increasing practice
costs, including the cost of providing malpractice insurance, and the lack
of systems of emergency medical care contribute to the access problems
experienced by these residents. While Illinois is not unique
in experiencing
these problems, the need to maintain or enhance the economies of these
areas of the State requires that new and innovative strategies be
identified and implemented to respond to the health care needs of residents
of these areas. It is therefore the intent of this General Assembly to
create a program to respond to this problem.

For purposes of this Act, "designated shortage areas" means medically
underserved areas or health manpower shortage area as defined by the
United States Department of Health and Human Services or as otherwise
designated by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)