General Assembly approves medical licensure funding measure

[March 09, 2013]  SPRINGFIELD -- Thursday afternoon the Illinois House of Representatives joined the Illinois Senate in passing Senate Bill 622, a measure that provides the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation the necessary resources to license and discipline physicians in Illinois and to rehire the 18 employees who were laid off in January.

"I'm pleased that were able to reach a bipartisan solution which will allow the department to continue to protect citizens from physicians who violate the Medical Practice Act, and process physicians' licenses in a(n) efficient and timely manner," said Manuel Flores, acting secretary of the department. "The passage of this bill will help ensure that Illinois can continue to attract the best physicians in the world."

The measure raises licensing fees for physicians to $700 for a three-year license until 2018 and then allows the fees to drop back to $500 in 2018. It also allows department to immediately restore full staffing levels within its Medical Unit.

[Text from Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]