710 ILCS 15/ Health Care Arbitration Act.

(710 ILCS 15/1) (from Ch. 10, par. 201)

Sec. 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Health Care Arbitration Act".

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/2) (from Ch. 10, par. 202)

Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act:

(a) "Health care provider" means a person, partnership, corporation, or other entity lawfully engaged in the practice of medicine, surgery, chiropractic, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, physical therapy or nursing.

(b) "Hospital" means a person, partnership, corporation or other entity lawfully engaged in the operation or administration of a hospital, clinic, nursing home or sanitarium.

(c) "Supplier" means a person, corporation, partnership or other entity that has manufactured, designed, distributed, sold, or otherwise provided any medication, device, equipment, service, or other product used in the diagnosis or treatment of a patient.

(d) "Health care arbitration agreement" or "agreement" means a written agreement between a patient and a hospital or health care provider to submit to binding arbitration a claim for damages arising out of (1) injuries alleged to have been received by a patient or (2) death of a patient, due to hospital or health care provider negligence or other wrongful act, but not including intentional torts.

(Source: P.A. 90-655, eff. 7-30-98.)

(710 ILCS 15/3) (from Ch. 10, par. 203)

Sec. 3. Applicability. This Act shall apply to and shall govern all agreements to arbitrate claims arising out of the providing of health care services. Except where inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, the "Uniform Arbitration Act", approved August 24, 1961, as now or hereafter amended, shall apply to and govern all health care arbitration agreements.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/4) (from Ch. 10, par. 204)

Sec. 4. Additional Parties. By consent of all parties to an arbitration proceeding, a person, corporation, or entity not a signatory to the agreement may be invited to participate in and be bound by the agreement, or may be accepted into the agreement upon an offer to participate and be bound. If such invitation or acceptance is made pursuant to consent of the arbitration parties, no signatory may refuse to arbitrate because of the participation of such additional party. An additional participant shall execute a written statement to be bound by the arbitration proceedings and agreement or shall sign the agreement, and shall then be treated as a party.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/5) (from Ch. 10, par. 205)

Sec. 5. Necessary Parties. A hospital or health care provider, or an employee of a hospital or health care provider, or a supplier, reasonably alleged to be a joint tortfeasor in a cause of action subject to a health care arbitration agreement shall be a necessary party to arbitration binding any of his joint tortfeasors. On application of any party to the arbitration proceeding, the circuit court may stay an arbitration proceeding commenced or threatened on the grounds that a necessary party is not a signatory or party to the agreement. That issue shall be forthwith and summarily tried and a stay ordered if found for the moving party. If found for the opposing party, the court shall order the parties to proceed to arbitration.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/6) (from Ch. 10, par. 206)

Sec. 6. Employees. The employees of a hospital or health care provider shall be deemed to be parties to every health care arbitration agreement signed by their employer. An arbitration agreement may bar an action at law against any hospital or health care provider who is a party to the agreement on the grounds of respondeat superior for the negligence or other wrongful act of any employee reasonably alleged to have caused the injuries on which the claim is based.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/7) (from Ch. 10, par. 207)

Sec. 7. Minor Parties. A minor child shall be bound by a health care arbitration agreement executed on his behalf by any parent, irrespective of whether that parent is also a minor. An agreement so executed shall not be voidable because of the minority of the parent, and for such purposes a minor who is a parent shall be deemed to have the full legal capacity as if that parent were above the age of majority.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/8) (from Ch. 10, par. 208)

Sec. 8. Conditions. Every health care arbitration agreement shall be subject to the following conditions:

(a) The agreement is not a condition to the rendering of health care services by any party and the agreement has been executed by the recipient of health care services at the inception of or during the term of provision of services for a specific cause by either a health care provider or a hospital; and

(b) The agreement is a separate instrument complete in itself and not a part of any other contract or instrument; and

(c) The agreement may not limit, impair, or waive any substantive rights or defenses of any party, including the statute of limitations; and

(d) The agreement shall not limit, impair, or waive the procedural rights to be heard, to present material evidence, to cross-examine witnesses, and to be represented by an attorney, or other procedural rights of due process of any party.

(e) As a part of the discharge planning process the patient or, if appropriate, members of his family must be given a copy of the health care arbitration agreement previously executed by or for the patient and shall re-affirm it. Failure to comply with this provision during the discharge planning process shall void the health care arbitration agreement.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/9) (from Ch. 10, par. 209)

Sec. 9. Mandatory Provisions.

(a) Every health care arbitration agreement shall be clearly captioned "Health Care Arbitration Agreement".

(b) Every health care arbitration agreement in relation to health care services rendered during hospitalization shall specify the date of commencement of hospitalization. Every health care arbitration agreement in relation to health care services not rendered during hospitalization shall state the specific cause for which the services are provided.

(c) Every health care arbitration agreement may be cancelled by any signatory (1) within 60 days of its execution or within 60 days of the date of the patient's discharge from the hospital, whichever is later, as to an agreement in relation to health care services rendered during hospitalization, provided, that if executed other than at the time of discharge of the patient from the hospital, the health care arbitration agreement be reaffirmed at the time of the discharge planning process in the same manner as provided for in the execution of the original agreement; or (2) within 60 days of the date of its execution, or the last date of treatment by the health care provider, whichever is later, as to an agreement in relation to health care services not rendered during hospitalization. Provided, that no health care arbitration agreement shall be valid after 2 years from the date of its execution. An employee of a hospital or health care provider who is not a signatory to an agreement may cancel such agreement as to himself until 30 days following his notification that he is a party to a dispute or issue on which arbitration has been demanded pursuant to such agreement. If any person executing a health care arbitration agreement dies before the period of cancellation as outlined above, the personal representative of the decedent shall have the right to cancel the health care arbitration agreement within 60 days of the date of his appointment as the legal representative of the decedent's estate. Provided, that if no legal representative is appointed within 6 months of the death of said decedent the next of kin of such decedent shall have the right to cancel the health care arbitration agreement within 8 months from the date of death.

(d) Every health care arbitration agreement shall contain immediately above the signature lines, in upper case type in printed letters of at least 3/16 inch height, a caption and paragraphs as follows: "AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE HEALTH CARE NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS NOTICE TO PATIENT YOU CANNOT BE REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE TREATMENT. BY SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT, YOUR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY A JURY OR A JUDGE IN A COURT WILL BE BARRED AS TO ANY DISPUTE RELATING TO INJURIES THAT MAY RESULT FROM NEGLIGENCE DURING YOUR TREATMENT OR CARE, AND WILL BE REPLACED BY AN ARBITRATION PROCEDURE.

THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE CANCELLED WITHIN 60 DAYS OF SIGNING OR 60 DAYS AFTER YOUR HOSPITAL DISCHARGE OR 60 DAYS AFTER YOUR LAST MEDICAL TREATMENT IN RELATION TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES NOT RENDERED DURING HOSPITALIZATION.

THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT ANY CLAIMS WHICH MAY ARISE OUT OF YOUR HEALTH CARE WILL BE SUBMITTED TO A PANEL OF ARBITRATORS, RATHER THAN TO A COURT FOR DETERMINATION. THIS AGREEMENT REQUIRES ALL PARTIES SIGNING IT TO ABIDE BY THE DECISION OF THE ARBITRATION PANEL."

(e) an executed copy of the AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE HEALTH CARE CLAIMS and any reaffirmation of that agreement as required by this Act shall be given to the patient during the time of the discharge planning process or at the time of discharge.

(Source: P.A. 91-156, eff. 1-1-00.)

(710 ILCS 15/10) (from Ch. 10, par. 210)

Sec. 10. Commencement of Proceedings. Arbitration proceedings under this Act shall be commenced by serving a notice of demand for arbitration, together with a statement of the claim and cause of action, on all parties to the health care arbitration agreement from whom damages are sought. The statement of the claim and cause of action shall be substantially in the form of a complaint under the Civil Practice Law. Service of the notice and statement shall be by any method authorized for service of complaints under the Civil Practice Law or by mail. For purposes of any statute of limitations, notice of a demand for arbitration to any party from whom damages are sought, whether by mail or any other process, shall be deemed to have tolled such statute as to all parties named in the notice.

(Source: P.A. 83-1539.)

(710 ILCS 15/11) (from Ch. 10, par. 211)

Sec. 11. Discovery. Discovery shall be available to all parties in arbitration proceedings as provided in the Uniform Arbitration Act. Any party may apply to the court for necessary orders.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/12) (from Ch. 10, par. 212)

Sec. 12. Evidence. In all arbitration proceedings under this Act, the rules of evidence as applied in the courts of this State shall apply.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/13) (from Ch. 10, par. 213)

Sec. 13. Selection of Arbitrators. (a) In all arbitration proceedings under this Act, the number and selection of arbitrators shall be as provided by this Section.

(b) Unless the parties to an arbitration proceeding agree that the arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator, the arbitration proceeding shall be conducted by a panel of 3 arbitrators selected as provided in this Section.

(c) In proceedings to be conducted by a single arbitrator, all parties to the arbitration proceeding must agree in writing to the selection of the arbitrator. If the parties cannot agree to the selection of a single individual to be the arbitrator, any party may apply to the court for the selection of an arbitrator. Such application shall include an affidavit that the sides of the proceeding cannot reach agreement on the selection of an arbitrator. If the court finds that the parties cannot reach agreement, the court shall appoint an arbitrator as provided in paragraph (e).

(d) In proceedings to be conducted by a panel of 3 arbitrators, each side of the proceeding shall select one arbitrator, and the 2 arbitrators thus selected shall agree and select the third neutral arbitrator. If the 2 arbitrators selected by the sides of the proceeding cannot agree on the selection of the third arbitrator, any party may apply to the court for the selection of a third neutral arbitrator. Such application shall include an affidavit signed by at least one of the previously selected arbitrators that agreement cannot be reached. If the court determines that the 2 previously selected arbitrators cannot reach agreement. The court shall provide for the selection of a third neutral arbitrator pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (e).

(e) The court shall submit to each side a list of five practicing attorneys licensed in the State of Illinois. The parties may, by agreement, select one of the five as the neutral arbitrator. Failing such agreement, each side shall strike two names from the list. The remaining name shall be the third neutral arbitrator. For purposes of this Section, a retired judge of the Supreme, Appellate, or Circuit Court of Illinois shall be deemed a licensed practicing attorney.

The third neutral arbitrator selected according to paragraph (c), (d), or (e) shall be the presiding officer at the arbitration hearing, and shall decide evidentiary and procedural questions during the hearing.

(f) For purposes of this Section, a selection by a side of an arbitration proceeding means a choice made either by those parties seeking damages or by those parties against whom damages are sought. If the parties on a side cannot unanimously agree on the selection of an arbitrator, the question shall be determined by lot.

(Source: P.A. 80-1012.)

(710 ILCS 15/14) (from Ch. 10, par. 214)

Sec. 14. Expenses. (a) Compensation and expenses of arbitrators shall be apportioned equally among the parties selecting the arbitrator or, in the case of an arbitrator appointed by the court or selected by agreement of the parties or party-selected arbitrators, shall be apportioned equally among all parties to the proceeding.

(b) Arbitrators appointed by the court shall be compensated $100 per diem for their service, plus reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses. Arbitrators selected by the parties or by party-selected arbitrators may be compensated at a rate not exceeding $100 per diem for their service, and shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses.

(Source: P.A. 79-1435.)