IHA Healthcare News

Get the healthcare news you need to stay on top of legislative proposals, industry trends and local issues. This section has news articles, IHA's Daily Briefing, IHA press releases and our Member News Spotlight. You can sort by category.

Featured News

She kept getting sick and kept visiting the ER. Now a formerly homeless mom is getting help

By her own account, Keisha Wallace has been every type of homeless: She has bounced around friends’ couches, stayed in shelters and slept on the train overnight. Chicago Tribune

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She kept getting sick and kept visiting the ER. Now a formerly homeless mom is getting help

News Articles

  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

Preparing for adult use marijuana sales on January 1

Joey McLaughlin talks with the Executive Director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, Pam Althoff, about preparation for the sale of adult use marijuana sales in January. WTAX

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

New lab trains welfare workers who probe child abuse claims

The troubling scene inside the dingy Chicago apartment seems real: dangling exposed wires, open pill bottles near a sleeping baby, a kitchen strewn with dog feces and cockroaches. Associated Press

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

Tales Of Corporate Painkiller Pushing: 'The Death Rates Just Soared'

Nearly 2,000 cities, towns and counties are currently participating in a massive multidistrict civil lawsuit against the opioid industry for damages related to abuse of prescription pain meds. NPR

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

OIG Suggests Lowering Medicare Reimbursement for More Part B Drugs

CMS could have saved an additional $2.9 million in 2017 if the agency lowered Medicare reimbursement for more Part B drugs through price substitution. Revcycle Intelligence

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

Do No Harm: Putting Physicians And Patients Back At The Center Of Health Care

Physicians have reached the point of having their own suicide hotline; it is now a profession with one of the highest rates of suicides; some say the US is nearing a nursing shortage. Forbes Op-Ed

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

Health insurers plan to expand Obamacare offerings despite legal battle

Insurers are pushing ahead with plans to expand their Affordable Care Act offerings next year, even as federal judges debate the constitutionality of the health care law. Fox Business

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • News from the Web

Got (extra) milk? IVCH hosting new ‘Milk Depot’ for donated breast milk

Chelsea Dombrowski had a problem. Her freezer was filling up fast with extra breast milk after the birth of her son. News Tribune

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  • Aug 23, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 23

Illinoisan Dies from Effects of Vaping

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 23
  • Aug 22, 2019
  • News from the Web

Governor JB Pritzker creates task force to tackle DNA processing backlog

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently signed an executive order forming a task force comprised of a team of experts to oversee the backlogged state crime labs. ABC News

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • News from the Web

Looming mental health care 'crisis' blamed on insurance companies

After recent mass shootings, there've been calls for more access to mental health treatment. News 4 San Antonio

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • News from the Web

Solving surprise billing without jeopardizing rural health care

Some of the proposed legislation to end surprise billing by using a benchmark to determine and set physician reimbursement rates could potentially be devastating to rural healthcare. The Hill Op-Ed

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • News from the Web

Why 2020 Democrats are backing off Medicare-for-all, in four charts

A notable number of the 2020 presidential candidates (save Sen. Bernie Sanders) who endorsed Medicare-for-all are starting to say it’s a long-term ambition. Washington Post

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • Member News Spotlight

Carle announces plan to consolidate Danville facilities, develop medical campus

Carle has announced plans to consolidate its current Danville facilities and develop a medical campus between Logan and Gilbert streets. WAND

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • News from the Web

Dr. Dixon Spivy, prominent Chicago psychiatrist, dies at 93

Dr. Dixon Spivy was a psychiatrist at Amita Health Saint Joseph Hospital and Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Chicago Tribune

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • Member News Spotlight

WGH’s Diane DeStefano recognized for excellence

The Illinois Rural Health Association recently named Wabash General Hospital’s own Diane DeStefano, ACNP-BC,as the Rural Health Professional of the Year. The Navigator

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  • Aug 22, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 22

IHA Talks to Central/Northwest IL Hospital Leaders

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 22
  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

Lawsuits filed against medical supply sterilization plant linked to increased cancer rates

One after another they spoke — many with tears in their eyes — about the colorless, odorless gas that they say stole their good health and ruined their lives. Chicago Sun-Times

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

Guest View: Comprehensive care for all Illinoisans must include oral care

With our world-class hospitals, med-tech incubators, and numerous research facilities, Illinois has long been a hub for health care innovation. State Journal-Register

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

Brand-name drug prices rising at slower pace, lower amounts

Drug companies are still raising prices for brand-name prescription medicines, just not as often or by as much as they used to, according to an Associated Press analysis. Associated Press

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

Two Drugmakers Closing in on Opioid Settlements

Drugmakers Endo International PLC and Allergan PLC are in talks to avoid going to a landmark trial set to begin in October over the opioid crisis. Wall Street Journal

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

'Everyone’s health insurance is more expensive' as more Americans manage chronic diseases

The cost of health care continues to be a major issue in the U.S., and chronic diseases have become an increasing burden. Yahoo Finance

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

Cook County teen sues Juul

A Cook County teenager has filed a lawsuit against e-cigarette maker Juul, alleging that the company designed and marketed its products to appeal to young people. Chicago Tribune

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • News from the Web

These Northwestern doctors saw 30,000 patients during WWII, sometimes performing 100 surgeries a day

The doorway was too narrow for the patient on the stretcher. So the high-powered Northwestern neurosurgeon did the next best thing. Chicago Tribune

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  • Aug 21, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 21

CBO Releases Updated Budget and Economic Outlook

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 21
  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

Don’t bank on pot revenues just yet, new study warns lawmakers

When Illinois lawmakers debated whether to legalize recreational weed, the potential funding from tax sales was presented as a new way to address the state’s buzzkill of a budget. Chicago Sun-Times

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

CMS Plans 2021 'Update' For Hospital Quality Star Ratings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Monday it will update its controversial Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings in 2021. HealthLeaders Media

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

Are We Nearing The End Of Medicare’s Three-Day Rule That Makes Patients Pay For Skilled Nursing Care

President Trump’s Medicare chief, Seema Verma, may have signaled the beginning of the end of Medicare’s three-day rule for post-acute care or rehabilitation in a skilled nursing facility. Forbes

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

Medicare Advantage is booming but not producing savings, report finds

Medicare Advantage is not producing any savings but spends between 2% and 5.5% more than traditional Medicare, a report in Health Affairs finds. Healthcare Dive

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

Why Medicare for All isn’t enough

A key issue on the stage throughout the first two rounds of Democratic debates has been health-care reform, with much focus on universal access. Washington Post

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island to Close in September

MetroSouth Medical Center in south suburban Blue Island will close next month. ABC News

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • Member News Spotlight

Moore named CEO at Galesburg Cottage Hospital

Galesburg Cottage Hospital and Cottage Clinics announced Monday that Bob Moore has been named CEO. The Register-Mail

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

Strain on supply prompts call for blood donations in Eastern Iowa, nearby states

The typical shortage of blood donations around a holiday has been compounded after several hospitals in the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center region saw an increase in blood use.. The Gazette

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  • Aug 20, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 20

FDA Releases Youth Anti-Smoking Campaign Study

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 20
  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

Sexual assault victims in Illinois will be able to track evidence in their cases under new law

Sexual assault victims in Illinois will soon be able to track the progress of their rape kit evidence through the stages of processing, using a statewide online tracking system. Chicago Tribune

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

Congressman plans stops in the Illinois Valley next week

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger will make the rounds in North Central Illinois Monday and Tuesday, according to his press office. News Tribune

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

What’s Behind A Cluster Of Vaping-Related Hospitalizations?

When Dylan Nelson was admitted to the ICU in July with difficulty breathing, his mother, Kim Barnes. figured it was his asthma acting up. WAMU

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

Doctors say new rule will mean sicker immigrants

Diabetics skipping regular checkups. Young asthmatics not getting preventive care. A surge in expensive emergency room visits. Associated Press

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

CDC Looking Into Pulmonary Illness Linked to E-Cigarettes

The CDC is working with health departments in Wisconsin, Illinois, California, Indiana, and Minnesota to look into a “cluster of pulmonary illnesses” linked to e-cigarette product use. Bloomberg

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

This App Aims To Save New Moms' Lives

The U.S. has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world. NPR

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

No Mercy: After The Hospital Closes, How Do People Get Emergency Care?

For more than 30 minutes on a frigid February morning, Robert Findley lay unconscious in the back of an ambulance as paramedics hand-pumped oxygen into his lungs. Kaiser Health News/NPR

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

Millions of Americans with employer health care are still spending a fortune

As Americans continue grappling with rising health care costs, research indicates that a sizable group of people with employer health care are still spending a ton on their medical bills. Yahoo

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

Signs of trouble - and progress - as Obamacare 2019 open enrollment nears

The latest health insurance data gives new ammunition to the Trump administration as it touts the latest bad news on Obamacare, but supporters of the law say there are positive signs. USA Today

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • News from the Web

Facing massive budget hole, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to give prime-time speech followed by tour

Mayor Lori Lightfoot will give a primetime speech later this month about the city’s massive budget deficit, which is expected to approach $1 billion, and follow up with town halls. Chicago Tribune

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  • Aug 19, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 19

CMS Revamping Star Ratings Program

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 19
  • Aug 16, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 16

IHA Issues Fair Workweek Ordinance Memo

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 16
  • Aug 15, 2019
  • IL Hospitals Doing More

Organ donors now receiving honor walks at OSF HealthCare St. Francis

Organ donation was something Kewanee resident Mario Massens always wanted to do, but only fate could decide if he would get the chance. Pekin Times

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  • Aug 15, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 15

Illinois Joins Lawsuit on Public Charge Rule

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 15
  • Aug 14, 2019
  • IL Hospitals Doing More

Feds give more than $1.5 million to battle opioid epidemic in southern Illinois

Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) announced HHS awarded community health centers in southern Illinois $1,560,000 through the the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. WSIL TV

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  • Aug 14, 2019
  • IL Hospitals Doing More

Morris Hospital re-designated as Level II Trauma Center

This means Morris Hospital has the necessary resources, including personnel and equipment, to diagnose and treat severely injured patients at all hours around the clock. The Herald-News

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  • Aug 14, 2019
  • IL Hospitals Doing More

Promise Healthcare, Gibson Area Hospital get federal grants for behavioral health

Two area health providers are receiving federal funding to help them expand their behavioral-health services. Press Gazette

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  • Aug 12, 2019
  • IL Hospitals Doing More

Cook County plans new Provident Hospital — building on history of ‘iconic South Side institution’

The proposed new hospital will include 42 medical and surgical beds, six intensive care unit beds, eight operating rooms and two procedure rooms, and 70 outpatient exam rooms. Chicago Sun-Times
 

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  • Aug 12, 2019
  • IL Hospitals Doing More

In Maywood, Sen. Durbin, Loyola Unite Against Gun Violence As Community Searches For Answers

Two weeks after a double homicide rocked Maywood and two mass shootings rocked the nation, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin visited Maywood to discuss his Chicago HEAL initiative. Village Free Press

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  • Aug 12, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 12

Illinois ACA Enrollment Holds Steady

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: Aug. 12
  • Aug 07, 2019
  • News from the Web

Doctors Argue Plans To Remedy Surprise Medical Bills Will ‘Shred’ The Safety Net

Chances are, you or someone you know has gotten a surprise medical bill. Kaiser Health News

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  • Aug 06, 2019
  • News from the Web

Medicaid managed care reforms signed into law

Gov. Pritzker said people applying for Medicaid benefits in Illinois will see those applications processed more quickly and healthcare providers will be paid more promptly. Capitol News Illinois

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  • Jul 22, 2019
  • News from the Web

Nearly 2 Billion Opioid Pills Flowed Into Illinois, Data Shows

Close to 2 billion prescription painkillers were distributed to Illinois between 2006 and 2012, according to new data released by The Washington Post. CBS Chicago TV

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  • Jun 28, 2019
  • News from the Web

Sterigenics moves to upgrade shuttered device sterilization plant

Sterigenics said that it has applied for permits to upgrade emissions controls at its Willowbrook, Ill. medical device sterilization plant. Medical Design & Outsourcing

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  • Jun 27, 2019
  • News from the Web

US vaccine panel downgrades pneumonia shot recommendation

A scientific panel has downgraded its recommendation that all retirement-age Americans get a vaccination against bacteria that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and other illnesses. Associated Press

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  • Jun 20, 2019
  • News from the Web

Pharmacies back bill instituting state oversight of pharmacy benefit managers

A bill that passed would give the state more oversight over companies criticized for slashing payments to independent pharmacies that serve low-income patients. Gatehouse Media Illinois

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  • Jun 14, 2019
  • News from the Web

Illinois nursing homes rank third worst in the country, nonprofit group says

Illinois is the third worst state in the country for nursing home quality, according to a new report from an advocacy group. Chicago Tribune

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  • Jun 11, 2019
  • News from the Web

The Elderly Are Getting Complex Surgeries. Often It Doesn’t End Well.

People over 65 represent roughly 16 percent of the American population, but account for 40 percent of patients undergoing surgery in hospitals. New York Times

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  • Jun 04, 2019
  • Daily Briefing

IHA Daily Briefing: June 4

U.S. Committee Considers Healthcare Extenders

Read More About IHA Daily Briefing: June 4
  • May 01, 2019
  • Press Release

Illinois Hospital Leaders Urge Legislative Action on Needed Medicaid Managed Care Reforms

Hospital and health system leaders from across Illinois are urging the General Assembly to pass legislation on needed reforms to the state’s Medicaid managed care program before it adjourns May 31.

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  • Apr 04, 2019
  • Press Release

Illinois Hospital Leaders to Showcase Quality Improvement Initiatives at the State Capitol

4th Annual IHA Quality Advocacy Showcase on April 3 highlights statewide efforts to advance patient care, improve communities and reduce costs.

Read More About Illinois Hospital Leaders to Showcase Quality Improvement Initiatives at the State Capitol
  • Feb 28, 2019
  • Press Release

March is Illinois Poison Prevention Month

This week, the Illinois Poison Center (IPC) kicks off Illinois Poison Prevention Month, which serves as a timely reminder of the substantial harm poisoning can cause to people of all ages.

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  • Feb 21, 2019
  • Press Release

IHA Innovation Challenge: Partners in Progress Award Presented

Patients in Illinois are benefiting from reduced sepsis infection rates and enhancements in antimicrobial stewardship due to the efforts of two exceptional IHA members.

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  • Feb 15, 2019
  • Press Release

Comprehensive Medicaid Managed Care Reform Legislation Will Strengthen Illinois Medicaid Program

A comprehensive legislative package of Medicaid managed care reform bills strongly backed by the IHA and the hospital community has been introduced in the General Assembly.

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  • Feb 15, 2019
  • Press Release

Karen Harris Named IHA Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Karen Harris will join the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) as its Senior Vice President and General Counsel, effective March 1.

Read More About Karen Harris Named IHA Senior Vice President and General Counsel
  • Jan 28, 2019
  • Press Release

IHA's Longest Serving Employee Retires

On Jan. 31, IHA will lose its longest serving employee.

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  • Jan 02, 2019
  • Press Release

IHA Elects New Board

The Illinois Health and Hospital Association is pleased to announce its newly elected 2019 Board of Trustees.

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  • Dec 17, 2018
  • Press Release

IHA Statement on Texas District Court Ruling on the ACA

Illinois hospitals and health systems are extremely deeply disappointed by the district court's decision. This ruling threatens access to healthcare coverage for one million Illinoisans.

Read More About IHA Statement on Texas District Court Ruling on the ACA
  • Nov 19, 2018
  • Press Release

Illinois Poison Center Warns About "Silent Killer" in Homes

The Illinois Poison Center notes an increase in carbon monoxide poisoning in the winter.

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  • Oct 17, 2018
  • Press Release

Sarah Macchiarola Named IHA Vice President, Federal Government Relations

Sarah Macchiarola will join the Illinois Health and Hospital Association as its Vice President, Federal Government Relations, effective Nov. 29.

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  • Sep 20, 2018
  • Press Release

Statement from A.J. Wilhelmi Re: Illinois Supreme Court Ruling in Oswald v. Beard

We are pleased that the Illinois Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the state’s hospital property tax exemption law.

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  • Jun 21, 2018
  • Press Release

Statement from A.J. Wilhelmi: Federal Approval of Redesigned Hospital Assessment Program

Statement from A.J. Wilhelmi, President & CEO

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  • Jun 06, 2018
  • Press Release

MAPS PSO Presents Patient Safety Champion Award

The Midwest Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS) Patient Safety Organization (PSO) awarded Valerie Skroch of Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers with the MAPS PSO Patient Safety Champion award.

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  • Mar 27, 2018
  • Press Release

$95.3 Billion: The State Economic Impact of Illinois Hospitals and Health Systems

Illinois’ more than 200 hospitals and nearly 50 health systems generate a total impact of $95.3 billion annually on the state’s economy, according to an IHA report.

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