Weiss Memorial Hospital's access to Medicare payments revoked, IDPH announced
The future of Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown is uncertain after the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced that it is revoking the facility's ability to receive Medicare payments.
Starting on Aug. 9, Medicare won't pay Weiss for inpatient services.
The move could be devastating for the safety-net hospital, which the Sun-Times reported received over half of its 2023 revenue from the program.
While the notice didn't elaborate on why it deemed Weiss not "compliant" with its guidelines, the hospital's air-conditioning system failed last month, forcing dozens of patients to be transferred to its sister institution, West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park.
Since then, Weiss has rendered only limited services to patients while it awaits spare parts to fix the air conditioning.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health said:
"The Illinois Department of Public Health has been closely monitoring the situation at Weiss Memorial Hospital. As required by law, the results of our surveys of the hospital are shared with the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS holds the authority to and made the decision to terminate Weiss's involvement with the Medicare program effective August 9, 2025. There is a process for reconsideration that Weiss can pursue. IDPH is committed to ensuring patient safety and quality of care at healthcare facilities in Illinois and will engage with Weiss as appropriate."
