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And We're Back
After much uncertainty regarding when the General Assembly will reconvene, Gov. Pritzker called for the General Assembly to come back to work this week and shortly after the House and Senate Democratic Leaders announced a special session for next Wednesday through Friday. Per the leaders' proclamation, the topics of the special session will be limited to:
1.
The COVID-19 pandemic or other disasters;
2.
The State budget and its implementation;
3.
Economic recovery, infrastructure projects and funding thereof;
4.
The explanation, arguments for and against, and the form for constitutional amendments as required under the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act;
5.
Laws or authority scheduled to be repealed prior to June 1, 2021;
6.
The 2020 General Election and the State Board of Elections; and
7.
The hospital assessment program.
The Senate will hold session in their chamber at the Capitol, and the House will move floor activity to the Bank of Springfield Center. Lobbyists (and members of the public) will be allowed into the Bank of Springfield Center, although via a separate entrance and only on the mezzanine level. You can read the House plan here. The Capitol building will be all but closed to non-government staff.
We've heard of various plans to provide as close to a normal committee process (meaning allowing for opponent testimony), but sufficed it to say, we are in unchartered territory here. While we anticipate an abbreviated schedule, rumors are circling regarding what healthcare topics might be under consideration.
In particular, telehealth has received significant attention. While there were a variety of telehealth bills introduced this year, we hear most about legislatively extending Pritzker's telehealth insurance Executive Order.
Workers' Compensation expansions are always a concern, particularly in the wake of the rule pullback from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission that would have shifted the burden of proof that any essential employee testing positive for COVID would be presumed to have contracted it at work.
Finally, a bill that was filed 10 days ago is equally troubling.
HB5769
would require essential employers to provide PPE to employees and independent contractors and create a private right of action for enforcement. Jay Shattuck with the Chamber is running point on both work comp and the PPE bill - cross cutting items that are incredibly problematic for Illinois employers.
Oh, and we also need to pass a budget. With an expected massive revenue hit, expect more flexibility for Gov. Pritzker to manage a budget to bridge to his proposed progressive income tax. We've heard talk of various scenarios, from an unlikely "lump-sum" budget with complete budgetary flexibility to passing a budget that looks similar to FY2020, which would put the cash-flow onus on Gov. Pritzker's team to manage the dwindling revenues.
U.S. House Passes Another Coronavirus Bill - Faces GOP Opposition
The U.S. House is in session today to consider their latest COVID relief package - the HEROES Act. A big component of the legislation is $1 trillion in aid to states and local units of government. According to documents put out by Speaker Pelosi's office, the stat of Illinois could potentially take in nearly $20 billion over a two-year period. Local units of government would get their cut as well - click here to see the full local unit of government breakdown for all states. Chicago is estimated to get nearly $4 billion in year 1. Cook County's year 1 number is nearly $2 billion.
- Establishes a Heroes' Fund for essential workers, with $200 billion to ensure that essential workers who have risked their lives working during the pandemic receive hazard pay
- Supports testing, tracing and treatment, by providing another $75 billion for coronavirus testing, contact tracing and isolation measures, ensuring every American can access free coronavirus treatment, and supporting hospitals and providers
- Provides additional direct payments, cushioning the economic blow of the coronavirus crisis with a second round of more substantial economic impact payments of $1,200 per family member, up to $6,000 per household
- Protects payrolls, by enhancing the new employee retention tax credit that encourages employers to keep employees on payroll, allowing 60 million Americans to remain connected to their paychecks and benefits
- Ensures worker safety, by requiring OSHA to issue a strong, enforceable standard within seven days to require all workplaces to develop and implement infection control plans based on CDC expertise, and prevents employers from retaliating against workers who report infection control problems
- Supports small businesses and nonprofits, by strengthening the Payroll Protection Program to ensure that it reaches underserved communities, nonprofits of all sizes and types and responds flexibly to small businesses by providing $10 billion for Covid-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program
- Preserves health coverage, by protecting Americans losing their employer-provided health insurance with COBRA subsidies to maintain their coverage and creating a special enrollment period in the ACA exchanges for uninsured Americans
- Extends unemployment benefits, ensuring weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January, providing a vital safety net for the record number of Americans who are unemployed
- Bolsters housing assistance, helping struggling families afford a safe place to live with $175 billion in new supports to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs
- Strengthens food security, addressing rising hunger with a 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families put food on the table
- Safeguards our democracy, with new resources to ensure safe elections, an accurate Census, and preserve the Postal Service
The president and U.S. Senate Republicans are already saying this package is dead on arrival due to the high price tag and non-COVID related items. Obviously any money to states will have a huge budgetary impact on the state. We'll keep monitoring this evolving situation.
Pharmaceutical Prior Authorization Form Working Group Meeting Scheduled for This Morning
At 10 am today, the Illinois Department of Insurance will reconvene the working group tasked with developing a universal prior authorization form for pharmaceuticals. Call in information is here. Meeting documents are posted on the Department's website.
JCAR Update
DPH proposed amendments to Health Care Worker Background Check Code (77 IAC 955; 44 Ill Reg 8151) implementing Public Act 101-176, which allows staffing agencies, workforce intermediaries (organizations that provide job training and employment services) and organizations that provide pro bono legal services to initiate fingerprint-based criminal history background checks for their clients seeking employment in health care jobs. These organizations may also initiate requests for waivers allowing an individual who would otherwise be disqualified from health care employment due to a past criminal conviction to be cleared for employment. Businesses and nonprofit organizations may be affected by this rulemaking.
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