|
Budget Implementation Bill Filed
The BIMP bill as filed is pretty straightforward. I'll just flag a few items that may be of interest.
P. 354 -For facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health under the ID/DD Community Care Act as ID/DD Facilities and under the MC/DD Act as MC/DD Facilities, there is a wage increase for non-executive staff.
P. 357 - Changes to FQHC Prospective Payment System (PPS) rates
P. 427 - A new Coronavirus Business Interruption Grant Program (or BIG Program) (subject to federal funds)
P. 433 - Pandemic Related Stability Payments for Health Care Providers (subject to federal funds). Gives the administration discretion for grants and specifically allows for payments that are separate and apart from any current rate methodologies.
Telehealth Changes Included in House Healthcare Omnibus Package
Last night, the House introduced their healthcare package as an amendment to SB1864. It will be heard in the House Executive Committee this morning. The legislation includes codification of Gov. Pritkzer's executive order regarding telehealth coverage through May 1, 2021. This provision has been the subject of intense negotiations between House and Senate members, and the Chamber is disappointed that a consensus resolution could not be reached with this current version. The EO and the legislation prohibit cost-sharing for telehealth visits and provide for payment parity, which now creates a perverse incentive that will potentially make telehealth more expensive for employers than in-person medical visits at a time when medical providers are just starting to resume preventative and elective care. As the EO is still in force, we believe that any efforts to lock the order into statute are unnecessary and may result in unanticipated healthcare costs for consumers and employers.
There are additional items in the healthcare package as well:
- A HFS- and DOI-led feasibility study to explore options to make healthcare more affordable for low- and middle-income residents. The report is due Feb. 28, 2021.
- The creation of a Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task Force.
- Revisions to Medicaid income eligibility (using one pay stub to estimate a month's income).
- Authorization for accepting an applicant's or recipient's attestation of income, incurred medical expenses, residency, and insured status when electronic verification is not available; eliminating resource tests for some eligibility determinations; suspending redeterminations; suspending changes that would adversely affect an applicant's or recipient's eligibility; phone or verbal approval by an applicant to submit an application in lieu of applicant signature; allowing adult presumptive eligibility; allowing presumptive eligibility for children, pregnant women, and adults as often as twice per calendar year; paying for additional services delivered by telehealth; and suspending premium and co-payment requirements.
- Offsite institutional pharmacies may supply emergency kits (drugs that may be required to meet therapeutic needs of a patient and that aren't available anywhere else) to a licensed facility (hospital, nursing homes, etc.) for treatment of substance use disorders or mental health.
- Provides more flexibility to ambulance providers regarding Physician Certification statements for Medicaid.
- Allows for certain Medicaid treatments, including COVID treatments, for the uninsured and noncitizens.
- Requires Medicaid coverage of routine care costs for clinical trials.
- Instructs HFS and DHS to apply for a state plan amendment allowing remote monitoring and support services as a waiver-reimbursable service for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The application shall be submitted no later than January 1, 2021.
- Makes changes clarifying that the Illinois Health Information Exchange Authority is now the Illinois Health Information Exchange Office
Hospital Assessment
As anticipated, the long-awaited renewal of the hospital assessment was filed last night (SB2541 HA1). Just one small flag - outside of the assessment language, there is one paragraph adding additional requirements on the closure of healthcare facilities - "An application to close a health care facility shall only be deemed complete if it includes evidence that the health care facility provided written notice at least 30 days prior to filing the application of its intent to do so to the municipality in which it is located, the State Representative and State Senator of the district in which the health care facility is located, the State Board, the Director of Public Health, and the Director of Healthcare and Family Services."
JCAR Update
DPH adopted emergency amendments to the Parts titled Assisted Living and Shared Housing Establishment Code (77 IAC 295; 44 Ill Reg 8515), Skilled Nursing and Intermediate Care Facilities Code (77 IAC 300; 44 Ill Reg 8521), Sheltered Care Facilities Code (77 IAC 330; 44 Ill Reg 8536), Illinois Veterans' Homes Code (77 IAC 340; 44 Ill Reg 8548), Intermediate Care for the Developmentally Disabled Facilities Code (77 IAC 350; 44 Ill Reg 8555), Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities Code (77 IAC 380; 44 Ill Reg 8568), and Medically Complex for the Developmentally Disabled Facilities Code (77 IAC 390; 44 Ill Reg 8573), all effective 5/5/20 for a maximum of 150 days. All 7 emergency rules suspend, for the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, routine inspections and surveys and require DPH to perform on-site investigations in a manner that minimizes impact on facility activities while insuring the health and safety of residents and staff. (On-site visits to investigate alleged resident abuse/neglect or conditions threatening resident health and safety will continue.) The Part 295, 300, 330, 350, 380 and 390 emergency amendments suspend automatic expiration of probationary licenses, annual onsite visits, and routine on-site surveys. Emergency amendments to Parts 300, 350 and 390 suspend involuntary discharge or transfer of residents for nonpayment or late payment. An emergency amendment to Part 300 suspends the 120-day deadline after initial employment for Certified Nursing Assistants to complete a Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program (BNATP) and submit documentation needed for inclusion in the Nurse Aide Registry. (CNAs are still obligated to perform these actions; only the 120-day deadline is suspended.) Instead, individuals working as CNAs shall demonstrate their competency in the principles, techniques, and procedures of the BNATP under observation and documentation by a registered professional nurse. Emergency amendments to Parts 350 and 390 suspend similar training requirements for direct support persons (DSPs) and habilitation aides working with developmentally disabled residents and substitute a demonstration of competency observed and documented by a qualified mental retardation/ developmental disabilities professional. Long-term care facilities and aide training programs are affected by these emergency rules.
|
