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Pritzker Signs Healthcare Bills
This week Gov. Pritzker signed two pieces of healthcare legislation that passed during the May special session - SB 2541, is the new hospital assessment (which provides approximately $4 billion in Medicaid revenues to the state) as well as SB1864, the Health Care Affordability Act.
Funding increases under the hospital assessment:
The Fixed Pool Structure:
* Safety Net Hospitals (24): Funding increased $81.4 million
* Critical Access Hospitals (51): Funding increased $14 million
Fixed Rate Structure:
* High Medicaid Hospitals (30): Funding increased $86 million
* General Acute Hospitals (69): Funding increased $62.1 million
* Psych Hospital (10): Funding increased $2.4 million
* Long Term Acute Care Hospitals (6): Funding increased $1.2 million
* Rehab Hospitals (4): Funding increased $2.3 million
The Health Care Affordability Act was a vehicle for a variety of health care proposals. A brief summary is below.
Medicaid eligibility changes:
* Provides HFS with the authority to accept an applicant's or recipient's attestation of income, incurred medical expenses, residency, and insured status when electronic verification is not available;
* Eliminates resource tests for some eligibility determinations;
* Suspends redeterminations;
* Suspends changes that would adversely affect an applicant's or recipient's eligibility;
* Allows phone or verbal approval by an applicant to submit an application in lieu of applicant signature;
* Allows adult presumptive eligibility;
* Allows presumptive eligibility for children, pregnant women, and adults as often as twice per calendar year; and,
* Suspends premium and co-payment requirements.
The legislation also mandates that HFS and DOI conduct a study regarding proposals to make healthcare more affordable for middle- and low-income residents, and requires Medicaid to cover routine care costs associated with medical trials. The Chamber in particular is closely monitoring the healthcare study, as that may provide a blueprint for future legislative activity. We have been told that HFS is taking the lead on initial modeling activity.
Next Coding Working Group Meeting
The next meeting of the Department of Insurance's working group to determine a bundled service coding solution for the first episode psychosis insurance mandate pursuant to Public Act 101-0461 will take place at 10 am on Wednesday, July 15. The Chamber currently is working with members to identify existing billing codes to meet the start date of the mandate, which is Jan. 1, 2021.
Call-in Information
Phone Number: 1-312-535-8110
Access Code: 133 906 2653
Mental Health Parity Working Group
The next meeting of the mental health parity reporting working group pursuant to P.A. 100-1024 is Friday, July 17 at 11 am.
Call-in Information:
Phone Number: 1-312-535-8110
Access Code: 133 625 6767
JCAR Update
DOI proposed the medical necessity rule governing the coverage of first episode psychosis, ACT and CST services. The Chamber helped negotiate this language.
Healthcare In the News
Daily Herald: Local health centers get COVID-19 emergency grants from Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
CBS Chicago:
Coronavirus In Illinois: 1,018 New COVID-19 Cases, 20 Additional Deaths
The Hill:
Fauci says hard-hit states should be 'pausing' the reopening process
AP:
WHO: Indoor airborne spread of coronavirus possible
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