Hello, everyone. I’m excited to be working with you in the healthcare space- it’s some measure of redemption for my two physician parents that were disgusted when their firstborn went to law school. I’d repeat what my mother told me when I graduated, but it’s not safe for work.
I’ll be bringing you a newsletter every week each week of session and several times a month in the offseason. Each newsletter will start with an aimless introduction- lots of Indiana sports (sorry, Todd!)- before diving in to pending legislative matters, tidbits on process and ending with healthcare news you might have missed. We’ll also highlight other events hosted by the Chamber, like the annual luncheon featured below. I’ll try to keep the tone light- it is a Friday morning after all- but the information relevant and substantive.
In the next couple of weeks, I’ll be reaching out to each of you to say hello. Feel free to contact me at any time via email (ckaericher@ilchamber.org) or on my cell (618-806-1501). We’re only as good as our members, and your involvement is critical.
New Bills of Interest
The following bills of possible interested have been introduced in the House since July 1st. The Senate has yet to have a perfunctory session, so it remains a mystery what if, anything, has been filed there. As a reminder, the House Bills become available to review immediately. The Senate Bills are kept under wraps until read aloud by Tim Anderson or Scott Kaiser. In my old role at the Senate, I probably spent more than 1000 hours combined listening to those two gentlemen read four-digit numbers aloud. Good times.
As always, I’d love to hear your feedback on any of the items listed below- or any other pending legislative matter. Your feedback is necessary for our effective advocacy.
Here are the 5 bills of filed in the last few weeks. My comments are in italics.
HB 5800 (Rita)- Amends the Optometric Practice Act to allow optometrists to complete continuing education online either through real time presentations or prerecorded videos.
Seems like an idea a decade behind the times. I’ve been doing my continuing legal education online since at least 2011.
HB 5776 (West)- Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act. In provisions concerning written collaborative agreements, deletes a provision prohibiting a prescribing psychologist from prescribing medications to patients who are less than 17 years of age or over 65 years of age. Provides that no prescriptive authority for any Schedule II opioid shall be delegated. Provides that after the collaborating physician files a notice delegating authority to prescribe any nonnarcotic, nonopioid Schedule II through V controlled substances (rather than any nonnarcotic Schedule III through V controlled substances), the licensed clinical psychologist shall be eligible to register for a mid-level practitioner controlled substance license under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.
HB 5791 (McLaughlin)- Requires, within one year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, to perform an assessment of State parks, including recreational trails, and other outdoor recreation areas and facilities to determine where it is appropriate to install signage to warn visitors of possible Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Provides that the assessment shall include, but shall not be limited to, considerations related to the installation of signage in areas of reported new or increased contact with ticks and an evaluation of any relevant data on tick-borne diseases. Provides that the assessment shall be updated no less than once every 3 years, or more often as deemed necessary by both the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health.
As someone who loves the outdoors but can’t convince my wife and daughters to want to go outside when it doesn’t involve a pool or a beach, I can’t say I’m a fan of this one. One look at a sign saying diseased ticks and my wife is going to “nope” it right back to the car.
HB 5793 (Croke)- Provides that the powers of a health maintenance organization include the voluntary use of a referral system for enrollees to access providers under contract with or employed by the health maintenance organization. Provides that the provisions shall not be construed as requiring the use of a referral system to obtain a certificate of authority.
HB 5787 (Flowers) – Creates the “Reproductive Liberty and Dignity Act”. Requires the Department of Public Health to establish reproductive health clinics meeting specified requirements throughout the State. Removes language prohibiting a licensed certified professional midwife from (1) performing an abortion or (2) knowingly accepting responsibility for prenatal or intrapartum care of a client with alcoholism or alcohol abuse or drug addiction or abuse.
iHUB Breaks Ground on Southern Illinois Project
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services is announcing the groundbreaking of Integrated Hub (iHub), a facility that will house one of its Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives, a partnership of healthcare providers that will bring the critical integration of behavioral health, substance abuse treatment and prevention and physical health services to a five-county area in southern Illinois.
iHub is the vision of a multi-faceted group of providers who came together to address the health needs of citizens in this region of the state. This group is one of many that were awarded funding for their community-centric project under the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ (HFS) Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives Program.
The iHub facility will provide a shared office space for the Integrated Care for Adults and Integrated Care for Kids programs, which will work to eliminate barriers to accessing behavioral health, substance abuse care and physical health care, and provide care coordination to individuals in this population, while also working to reduce disparities in the health care system across southern Illinois.
The iHub collaborative is being led by the Egyptian Health Department, and is based in Eldorado, serving a five-county area in Southeastern Illinois. The other partners are Southern Illinois Healthcare, Ferrell Hospital, Harrisburg Medical Center, Christopher Rural Health Clinic, Illinois Health Practice Alliance and Gallatin County Wellness Center. The service area is comprised of Gallatin, Hamilton, Saline, Wayne and White counties.
The Special Session That Wasn't
For months the talk in Springfield centered on a special session dealing primarily with abortion and guns. With less than 60 days to the election, and a lack of consensus on the specifics of these two hot button issues, it is now looking very unlikely that lawmakers return to Springfield before the scheduled Veto Session.
As a reminder, the General Assembly has released the schedule for veto session. Lawmakers will be back in Springfield Tuesday, November 15 -November 17 as well as November 29-December 1.
View and download the veto calendar here.
Also, Lawmakers have been informed to keep January 4-10 open on their calendars for possible lame duck session dates. As can be seen above, plans don't always come to fruition.
