HEALTH FINANCE REFORM

Amends the Illinois Health Finance Reform Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health must require ambulatory surgical treatment centers licensed to operate in the State of Illinois to adopt a uniform system, based on certain federal laws, for submitting patient charges for payment from public and private payors. Provides that no later than 60 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each hospital and ambulatory surgical treatment center must submit billing data to the Department and sets forth information that must be included in the submission (now, hospitals must submit billing data for conditions and procedures required for public disclosure in the "Consumer Guide to Health Care" and for all inpatient surgical cases). Requires the Department to collect and compile the billing data on a quarterly basis. Sets forth additional information that must be included in the "Consumer Guide to Health Care". Requires that ambulatory surgical treatment centers, organizations representing ambulatory surgical treatment centers, purchasers, consumer groups, and health plans be meaningfully involved in the development of all aspects of the Department's methodology for collecting, analyzing, and disclosing the information collected under this Act. Requires the Department to evaluate additional methods for comparing the performance of hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers and report its findings and recommendations on its Internet website and to the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006. Requires the Department to study methods to collect and report data on mortality and nosocomial infection rates from hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers for outpatient services and report its findings and recommendations on its Internet website and to the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006. Requires the Department to authorize electronic access to patient billing data collected pursuant to these provisions for use by certain entities. Requires ambulatory surgical treatment centers to make available to prospective patients information on the normal charge incurred for any procedure or operation the prospective patient is considering. Requires the Department to adopt rules for inpatient and outpatient data collection and reporting no later than January 1, 2006. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.