One of the stated goals of the Act is to prohibit patient referrals to entities providing health services in which the referring health care worker has an investment interest. [225 ILCS 47/5] This provision can be tempered through the use of an exception for community need. A community need can be segmented into two principal components: need for a particular service and the existence and availability of alternative financing. An applicant for a community need exception must document compliance with both principal components.

(Source: Amended at 41 Ill. Reg. 15310, effective December 5, 2017)