Uptown neighbors and community groups are urging state officials to help reopen two shuttered safety-net hospitals in the Chicago area, including Weiss Memorial Hospital.

Background

Weiss Memorial Hospital, located at 4646 N. Marine Drive, was closed nearly a year ago after being cut from Medicaid and Medicare programs due to non-compliance with care standards. West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park also closed earlier this year.

The closure of these hospitals has left thousands of residents, including many immigrants, seniors, and low-income individuals, without access to a nearby emergency room or hospital.

Community Response

Lilly Le, community organizing director for the Vietnamese Association of Illinois, stated that the state is responsible for overseeing public services such as hospitals and should treat this situation as a public health emergency.

Phong Nguyen, an 81-year-old Uptown resident and former Weiss patient, emphasized the need for affordable healthcare, saying, “We need Weiss. We need affordable healthcare.”

Representatives from Governor JB Pritzker’s office and the Illinois Department of Public Health did not immediately respond to questions about their involvement in reopening the hospitals.

Current Status

The possibility of the hospitals reopening under their current ownership remains unclear, with an ongoing legal battle between the two owners of Resilience Healthcare, Dr. Manoj Prasad and Reddy Rathnaker Patlola.

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board has granted Prasad another six months to resolve outstanding compliance issues and unpaid debts to the state before Weiss risks losing its license to operate.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.