State Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) lauded Gov. Bruce Rauner for signing legislation McCarter co-sponsored that is designed to ease access to health care for elderly and rural populations.
McCarter hailed passage of House Bill 313 as "a big win" for the state in a release he posted on his website.
"We have a growing population of seniors who need access to quality health care," McCarter said in the release. “In the midst of the national debate on health care, which seems to be going nowhere as far as increasing access and containing costs, Illinois is showing true leadership.”
Sen. Kyle McCarter
The new law, signed by Rauner on Sept. 20, lifts restrictions on advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), enabling them to issue prescriptions and treat illnesses without a doctor's supervision, such as in stand-alone clinics. Qualified APRNs receive hands-on experience and training overseen by a physician while earning their credentials, the release said.
McCarter said the rules would benefit his constituents, citing a study from 2013 by the Health & Medicine Policy Research Group of Chicago that highlighted a shortage of doctors in "densely populated urban locations and rural counties."
“The bottom line is the new law will expand the number of medical personnel to meet the increasing demand for health services, and at the same time, maintain quality, safe and cost-effective health care," McCarter said in the release.
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