Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB2777

Creates the Loan Repayment Assistance for Physicians Act. Requires that the Department of Public Health establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for physicians who practice in Illinois. Provides that for each year that a qualified applicant practices full-time as a physician, the Department shall, subject to appropriation, award a grant to that person in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the person must repay that year. Provides that the to tal amount in grants that a person may be awarded shall not exceed $25,000. Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Public Health to award grants to all practicing physicians (instead of only to physicians offering obstetrical medical services in rural areas) for the purpose of reimbursing the costs of obtaining malpractice insurance. Requires the Department to establish reasonable conditions, standards, and duties relating to the grants. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides for an increase in the rates paid to every vendor of goods or services under the Medicaid program so that those rates are equal to the rates paid to such vendors under Medicare. Provides for implementation of the rate increase over a 3-year period. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Limits attorney's fees in individual actions to $1,000,000 including expenses. Changes the standards that the court shall apply to determine if a witness qualifies as an expert witness as follows: (i) requires the court to determine whether the witness is board certified or board eligible in the same medical specialties as the defendant and is familiar with the same medical problems or the type of treatment administered in the case (instead of the same relationship of the medical specialties of the witness to the medical problem and the type of treatment in the case); (ii) requires the court to determine whether the witness has devoted 75% (instead of a substantial portion) of his or her working hours to the practice of medicine, teaching, or university-based research in relation to the medical care and type of treatment at issue; and (iii) requires the court to determine whether the witness is licensed by any state or the District of Columbia (instead of just licensed). Amends the Illinois Good Samaritan Act. Provides that the immunity for civil damages provided for services performed without compensation at free medical clinics also applies to physicians and other health care professionals that provide medical treatment, diagnosis, or advice at federally qualified health care centers without fee or compensation. Makes various other changes in other Acts concerning health care. Effective immediately.

Date	Chamber	Action
1/11/2005	Senate	Session Sine Die

Date	Chamber	Action
2/5/2004	Senate	Filed with Secretary by Sen. Kirk W. Dillard
2/5/2004	Senate	First Reading
2/5/2004	Senate	Referred to Rules
2/18/2004	Senate	Assigned to Judiciary
2/20/2004	Senate	Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. David Luechtefeld
2/20/2004	Senate	Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Frank C. Watson
2/23/2004	Senate	Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. John J. Cullerton
2/23/2004	Senate	Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules
2/24/2004	Senate	Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Judiciary
2/24/2004	Senate	Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted
2/26/2004	Senate	Do Pass as Amended Judiciary; 008-000-000
2/26/2004	Senate	Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 2, 2004
3/24/2004	Senate	Second Reading
3/24/2004	Senate	Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 25, 2004
3/26/2004	Senate	Third Reading Deadline Extended - Rule 2-10(e), January 11, 2005.
8/24/2004	Senate	Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Rules
1/11/2005	Senate	Session Sine Die

	Deletes reference to:
	20 ILCS 2310/2310-220