Tax-Exempt Hospital Responsibility Act 

Creates the Tax-Exempt Hospital Responsibility Act. Sets forth the
terms under which a hospital must provide full charity care and discounted care to Illinois residents in order to maintain the hospital's tax-exempt status under the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the Property Tax Code; amends each of those tax Acts to provide that a hospital may qualify for an exemption from the tax imposed by the Act only if the hospital is in compliance with the Tax-Exempt Hospital Responsibility Act.

This act defines the sorts of care that may be counted as charity care provided by hospitals in Illinois. It calls for tax-exempt hospitals to provide full charity care to patients with a family income at or less than 150% of the federal poverty level. The act further calls for sliding scale discounts for patients with family incomes of more than 150% but not more than 250% of the federal poverty level. 

Hospitals out of charity compliance may be fined a sum up to 8% of annual revenues.

A companion bill, HB4999 calls for fairer payment and collection practices. HB4999 would prohibit hospitals from sending bills to collection agents while claims are pending with insurers. It also calls for hospitals to permit patients to make installment payments on bills.