Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker Friday signed legislation to pump more money into critical access hospitals.
The governor signed it at Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado. The measure changes some of Illinois' tax laws to provide these facilities with an additional 55-million dollars.
"It will allow them to hire more doctors and nurses, expand treatments and services, and provide even more Illinoisans the care they deserve."
Ferrell Hospital CEO Alisa Coleman says the additional funding is huge so her facility and the 50 others like it receive the appropriate payments under the hospital assessment program.
"More than 43% of critical access hospitals are operating in the red today and others on extremely thin margins."
During the signing, Pritzker emphasized his commitment to a Downstate Revitalization Plan.
"I want you to know that southern Illinois matters to my administration, and I want families who live here and raise their kids here to be able to stay here and have the opportunity to succeed here."
The legislation passed unanimously in the General Assembly back in January.
