Illinois legislature overrides Blagojevich on hospital discounts

from the Chicago Tribune

By Judith Graham

A groundbreaking bill extending hospital discounts to people without health insurance has become law after the legislature overturned Gov. Rod Blagojevich's amendatory veto.

The Illinois House voted 97-0 Tuesday to endorse the original measure, which was passed unanimously in June. The Senate's vote Monday was 55-0. The legislation requires hospitals to offer significant discounts to uninsured Illinoisans. Instead of paying the full sticker price—typically two to three times the actual cost of care—consumers will pay charges based on the actual cost plus a 35 percent markup.

To qualify for discounts, consumers have to meet financial criteria. In urban areas, families who earn up to six times the federal poverty level—$127,200 for a family of four—will be eligible for price breaks. In rural areas, the eligibility limit is set at three times the poverty level, or $63,600 for a family of four. According to one estimate, about 775,000 Illinois families will qualify under those standards.

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