WATSEKA, Ill. (WAND) - Senator Dick Durbin stopped by Iroquois Hospital on Tuesday to announce their federal approval of critical access hospital status.
The designation pays certain rural hospitals a higher Medicare reimbursement rate, helping to stabilize and provide a critical financial boost for hospitals like Iroquois Memorial.
“Memorial Hospital has been one that’s been struggling for a long time. They’ve tried to get critical access hospital status which means better reimbursement for Medicaid and Medicare. We’ve tried for years to get that. Today, we can announce that we were successful,” said Durbin.
The President and CEO of Iroquois Memorial Hospital Mike Tilstra says this can hopefully decrease the amount of travel time some residents have because of the medical attention needed.
“There’s not a week at Iroquois Memorial Hospital that we don’t see people come into our ER that did not have another ten minutes, they didn’t have another five minutes. It’s 45 minutes to the nearest hospital, and maybe 50 miles I think to the nearest level 1 trauma center,” said Tilstra.
Durbin also mentioned how he pays extra attention to things that constantly change, like health care.
“I think I have a special responsibility as a senator from downstate to be sensitive to things that are changing," stated Durbin. "I’ve noticed over the years it’s more and more difficult for these hospitals to survive. You think everything is solid and it’s coming through the way it should be.”
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