Kane County Reporter

House Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) wants to make sure healthcare is accessible to the most vulnerable residents in the western suburbs of the state and to help this, he co-sponsored a bipartisan bill in the Illinois General Assembly that Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed into law.

"The Governor signed into law today a bipartisan bill I co-sponsored to ensure healthcare access to our most vulnerable in the western suburbs," Keicher wrote in the Facebook post on April 6. "This is the kind of collaboration we need more of in state government -- working together to solve challenges that rise far above and beyond partisan distinctions."

Keicher co-sponsored Senate Bill 168 in the House along with 11 other House representatives. It passed both chambers of the legislature on March 25 and was signed into law by Pritzker on April 6. It was effective immediately.

The legislation expands equitable access to healthcare in Melrose Park with the goal of reopening Westlake Hospital in Cook County.

"Healthcare is a right, not a privilege and making sure people have equal access to quality healthcare is a top priority for this administration," Pritzker said in a news release.  "Reopening Westlake Hospital is a step toward addressing longstanding disparities in our healthcare system that have left some residents without the medical care they desperately need. I applaud Speaker (Emanuel "Chris") Welch and Representative (Kathleen) Willis for their steadfast commitment to their constituents and residents across the state who have been underserved for far too long."

The legislation made changes to how providers reopen hospitals. Instead of requiring a certification of need, the process is now expedited to allow for an exemption pertaining to the acquisition process.

Westlake Hospital was closed in early 2019 and later reopened in April 2020 temporarily to help with the treatment of COVID-19 patients.