SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ann Gillespie advanced legislation from the Illinois Senate on Wednesday that would allow Illinois hospitals to operate under a new care model and expand access to vital health services for rural Illinoisans.

“Health care is a right we must protect and expand, especially in areas facing unique challenges in access to care,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “Rural hospitals will soon see additional help in offering the services their patients rely on, preserving access to care in all corners of the state.”

House Bill 4846 makes several changes to Illinois’ health care laws, most notably allowing qualifying Illinois hospitals to operate under a new, federal care delivery model as “rural emergency hospitals”. REH is a new Medicare provider designation intended to improve access to outpatient services and reduce health disparities in areas unable to operate a full-service hospital. Under the REH designation, rural hospitals will receive a higher Medicare reimbursement rate for the services they provide, reducing financial constraints on the hospital.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one in seven rural Americans face restricted access to health care. Since 2005, nearly 100 rural hospitals across the nation have closed their doors and more than 80 have reduced services to remain open.

House Bill 4846 passed the Illinois Senate with bipartisan support and awaits further consideration in the Illinois House.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – State Senator Ann Gillespie announced that school districts across the 27^th District will receive over $49 million in additional funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.

“New funding will provide local schools with the resources they need to help students learn and grow,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “This investment will help to build a better learning environment for students across our community.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula – an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing its state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate, the number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.

Read more: Gillespie: Local schools to receive $49 million in new funding

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – With a new $300 million investment in the Help Illinois Families initiative, State Senator Ann Gillespie is encouraging neighbors in need to apply for utility assistance through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

“No one should choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “Working families having trouble making ends meet can apply for tangible relief through LIHEAP, which has helped hundreds of thousands of households throughout Illinois.”

Starting Sept. 1, 2022, families that meet the below income requirements can apply for utility assistance through LIHEAP. LIHEAP provides one-time payments directly to energy service providers on behalf of recipients. Last year alone LIHEAP offered assistance to 302,000 households.

Read more: Help Illinois Families program receives $300 million for utility assistance

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – Building on the smart infrastructure investments supported by State Senator Ann Gillespie, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced an investment of more than $140 million in the 27th Senate District.

“Illinoisans spend roughly $1,000 more on vehicle repairs each year due to the poor conditions of our roads,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “These investments will rehabilitate roads, bridges and highways in our community, addressing our aging infrastructure and saving commuters in the long run.”

As part of IDOT’s latest Multi-Year Project under the Rebuild Illinois program, the 27th District will see 21 infrastructure projects totaling $140,146,000 over the next six years.

These projects are part of IDOT’s multi-year plan, a $34.6 billion investment in construction projects for the next six fiscal years.

The $34.6 billion will go to highway reconstruction and preservation, bridge improvements, strategic expansion, system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and safety and system modernizations. Over six years, the funding will be dispersed to improve more than 2,500 miles of roads and nearly 10 million square feet of bridges.

To find a full list of projects slated for the 27th Senate District, visit IDOT’s website.