SB 2170

Abstract

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act and the Hospital Licensing Act; provides that a nursing home or hospital that orders transportation of a resident or patient by ambulance must maintain a written record showing the name of the person who placed the order for that transportation and the medical reason for that transportation. Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act; authorizes the Department of Public Health to suspend, for a period not exceeding 30 days, the license of any vehicle service provider, after an opportunity for a hearing, when findings show that the provider has directly or indirectly given, offered, or promised anything of value to a facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act or the Hospital Licensing Act for the purpose of influencing the facility to use the provider's services for the transportation of residents or patients of the facility. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Sets forth statements that must be included in an agreement for emergency or non-emergency transportation of a patient by an ambulance service provider, and requires that such an agreement contain certain other information and be printed in type of a certain size. Requires that the agreement be signed by the patient or the patient's authorized representative and by the ambulance service provider's authorized agent. Requires that the patient or the patient's authorized representative be provided with an executed copy of the agreement. Provides that it is an unlawful practice under the Act for an ambulance service provider to enter into an agreement with a patient, or a person acting on the patient's behalf, that does not comply with these requirements. Provides that if the court finds that an ambulance service provider has violated any of the requirements concerning an agreement with a patient, the court may order that the ambulance service provider pay to the patient an amount equal to 3 times the maximum amount stated in the agreement that will be due from the patient or, if no such maximum amount is stated in the agreement, 3 times the amount claimed due by the ambulance service provider, including any interest, collection costs, and attorney's fees claimed by the provider.