"We the undersigned urge Illinois State Legislatures to support HR 0255 which urges the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to waive the 30-Day Readmission Rule for those with sickle cell disease.
Why is this important?
The 30-Day Readmission Rule states: Patients readmitted into a hospital/ medical institution within 30 days of discharge; the discharging hospital/ medical institution will be fined in the form of a reduction in reimbursement from the State for the patient's hospitalization. We DO NOT support the policy of penalizing hospitals who care for patients with sickle cell disease and the 30 day readmission penalty imposed on sickle cell disease. People suffering from this life long disease frequently have unplanned, unpredictable and recurring needs, such as controlling severe pain episodes that can only be managed in the hospital requiring multiple hospitalizations and readmissions in a 30 day period.
