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Drug Prior Authorization Form Meeting Next Week
The Illinois Department of Insurance has announced the first meeting of the work group required under
Public Act 101-0463. The law requires both the Department of Insurance and Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop uniform prior authorization forms for use by commercial insurers and MCOs for providers. The meeting will take place from 11 am to noon on Friday, April 17. The Agenda with call-in information can be found here. The Chamber will participate in the meeting.
Chamber Urges Caution in End-of-Session Healthcare Legislation
This week the Chamber sent a letter to the four legislative leaders thanking them for their ongoing work during the public health crisis, and offering our team up as a resource for any high-priority health insurance legislation items that may surface when the General Assembly reconvenes. There have been a variety of healthcare-related executive orders, administrative requirements and voluntary measures taken by Chamber members as a result of COVID-19, that, if made permanent, might result in unanticipated consumer and taxpayer costs. Working groups have started to form in both Chambers to tackle a variety of budget and substantive items in anticipation of the eventual reconvening of the legislature. With an expected limited window of time in Springfield, the Chamber wants to ensure that any healthcare proposal is appropriately vetted before final action.
JCAR Update
DPH adopted an emergency amendment to Hospital Licensing Requirements (77 IAC 250; 44 Ill Reg 5934) effective 3/25/20 for a maximum of 150 days, allowing licensed hospitals to increase bed capacity and/or re-allocate bed designations between clinical services to accommodate extraordinary needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic for the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation. Facilities that increase or reallocate beds for this purpose must notify DPH within 30 days after the action and must also notify DPH within 30 days after the temporary beds are removed and normal bed capacity resumes.
DPH also adopted emergency amendments to Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency Code (77 IAC 245; 44 Ill Reg 5929), Long-Term Care Assistants and Aides Training Programs Code (77 IAC 395; 44 Ill Reg 5946), and Health Care Worker Background Check Code (77 IAC 955; 44 Ill Reg 5951), all effective 3/25/20 for a maximum of 150 days, to address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amendments to Part 245 suspend, for the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation, the in-person registered nurse supervisory visits and agency supervisory visits normally required for home health, home services, or home nursing agencies; these supervisory visits may be conducted via telephone or electronic means where available. The Part 395 and 955 rulemakings allow military personnel with medical training (e.g., corpsmen, combat medics) to serve as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in healthcare facilities while the COVID-19 emergency continues. The normal requirements for Illinois certification of CNAs licensed in another state are also suspended, provided that the out of State CNA is in good standing and is working under the direction of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and DPH. CNAs with inactive status on the DPH Health Care Worker Registry for less than 5 years, and who were in good standing at the time they became inactive, may resume work as CNAs immediately. Finally, the conditional employment period of 3 months for CNAs who have not yet undergone a fingerprint based criminal background check is extended to 6 months. CNAs and other healthcare workers are affected by these emergency rules.
Healthcare In the News
ABC News - CDC releases new data as debate grows over racial disparities in coronavirus deaths |
