CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Governor Pritzker has paved the way for an easier purchase and reopening of Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park.
A newly signed bill would give Westlake Hospital the chance to reopen much faster than in other situations. Senate Bill 168 will expand medical resources and services in the western suburbs, investing in communities that have traditionally had less access to quality care.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege and making sure people have equal access to quality healthcare is a top priority for this administration,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Reopening Westlake Hospital is a step toward addressing long-standing disparities in our healthcare system that have left some residents without the medical care they desperately need. I applaud Speaker Welch and Representative Willis for their steadfast commitment to their constituents and residents across the state who have been underserved for far too long.”
The legislation allows for an expedited process for a provider to reopen the hospital as efficiently as possible. Rather than a certification of need that a healthcare provider would typically need to file to open a hospital, the legislation requires a certificate of exemption to allow the acquisition process to be expedited and healthcare access to be restored in the area.
The bill would require anyone interested in buying the hospital, which closed in 2019, to follow certain guidelines.
Those guidelines include spending at least $20 million to reestablish the hospital, which includes the cost of land acquisition, building acquisition, new construction, and new equipment; adopting and maintaining a charity care policy that is no less restrictive than what was in place prior to the closure for at least two years; accepting Medicaid and Managed Care Organization patients; and, agreeing to maintain ownership of the hospital for no less than five years after reopening.
A Melrose Park spokesperson said there is at least one potential buyer, though no formal applications have been filed with the state.
Weeks after Pipeline Health bought the hospital in 2019, officials announced its closure, blaming financial losses. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Governor Pritzker announced that the 230-bed facility would temporarily reopen to treat patients with COVID-19 and help alleviate the burden on surrounding hospitals.
By permanently reopening Westlake Hospital, the legislation ensures that all residents have access to trusted healthcare in their local communities.
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