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Legislative Odds and Ends
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The
House Prescription Drug Affordability Committee is meeting at 10 am next Wednesday. The two bills posted are incredibly problematic (price setting and a drug take-back program). Rep. Guzzardi held a
press conference this week highlighting new survey data that he says backs his plan to regulate prices. Artificially setting price controls will not improve pharmaceutical availability - instead, it will discourage investment in life-saving drugs.
- IDPH announced their ongoing collaborative efforts to combat COVID-19.
- HB 4122 passed out of House Human Services this week. It would repeal theHospital Basic Services Review Board, which hasn't met in years according to board member and sponsor, Rep. Tom Demmer.
- SB2740 and SB2771 (Fine) were on the agreed bill list in Senate Insurance with the understanding that both would come back to committee with an amendment to remove opposition. The Chamber is opposed to both bills as currently drafted.
- SB3161 (Certified Insurance Navigators) also passed out of Senate Insurance. The Chamber was neutral.
- SB 3297 passed out of Senate Human Services this week on an unanimous vote. The Chamber was neutral.
Healthcare Committees Scheduled for Next Week
House Committees
Insurance Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 03, 2020 2:00PM
Location:
Room 114 Capitol Building
HB3965 - Welch - Requires every insurance company authorized to do business in this State or accredited by this State with assets of at least $50,000,000 to submit an annual report on its voluntary supplier diversity program to the Department of Insurance. Sets forth provisions on what the report must include and how and when the report must be submitted. Provides that, for each report, the Department shall publish the results on its Internet website for 5 years after submission. Requires the Department to hold an annual insurance company supplier diversity workshop in February of 2021 and every February thereafter to discuss the reports with representatives of the insurance companies and vendors. Provides that the Department shall prepare a template for voluntary supplier diversity reports. Effective immediately.
HB4000 - McDermed - Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits a life insurance company from denying coverage to an individual, limiting the amount, extent, or kind of coverage available to the individual, or charging an individual or group to which the individual belongs a different rate solely because the individual has been prescribed or has obtained through a standing order an opioid antagonist.
HB4137 - Morgan - Creates the Flood Insurance Act. Allows the Department of Insurance to require, through prior form approval, that an authorized insurer issues an insurance policy, contract, or endorsement that meets the private flood insurance requirements in a specified provision of federal law.
HB4433 - Morgan - Amends the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Provides that if a health services plan corporation furnishes dental services to the plan's subscribers and beneficiaries and these services are rendered by dentists licensed in Illinois, the board of trustees of the corporation shall appoint a Dental Director who shall be a dentist licensed to practice dentistry in Illinois. Provides that the Dental Director, under the board of trustees, shall have control of and responsibility for the dental and dental-related scientific aspects of the business of the corporation. Effective immediately.
HB4789 - Swanson -Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the program of health benefits for persons in the service of the State, a self-insuring county, or a self-insuring municipality may not deny a claim from a medical facility operated by the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on the basis that the medical facility is an out-of-network provider and may not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on a claim from a medical facility operated by the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs unless cost sharing is applied to such a claim from an in-network provider. Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Provides that an insurer providing a network plan may not deny a claim from a medical facility operated by the Veterans Health Administration on the basis that the medical facility is a non-preferred provider and may not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on a claim from a medical facility operated by the Veterans Health Administration unless cost sharing is applied to such a claim from a preferred provider. Defines "Veterans Health Administration".
HB5230 - Unes - Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2021 shall cover a medically necessary hypofractionated proton therapy protocol to deliver a biological effective dose by paying the same aggregate amount as would be paid for the delivery of the same biological effective dose with a standard radiation therapy protocol delivered with intensity modulated radiation therapy for the same indication if specified conditions are satisfied. Provides standards concerning the aggregate amount chargeable to or payable by an eligible patient for a covered course of hypofractionated proton therapy. Provides that proton therapy coverage may not impose an annual deductible, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing limitation that is greater than that required for radiation therapy and other similar benefits within the insurance policy or contract. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2021.
HB5442 - Harris - Creates the Health Care Affordability Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in consultation with the Department of Insurance, to conduct a feasibility study to explore options to make health insurance more affordable for Illinois residents. The study shall follow best practices by other states to establish an Illinois-specific actuarial and economic analysis of demographic and market dynamics. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in consultation with the Department of Insurance, shall develop and submit a proposal to the General Assembly and the Governor concerning the design, costs, benefits, and implementation of a State option for health care coverage that leverages existing State infrastructure.
Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 03, 2020 3:00PM
Location:
Room 115 Capitol Building
SUBJECT MATTER: Hospitals Bypass.
B4282 - Parkhurst - Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that nothing in the Act, or any rules adopted by the Department of Public Health under the Act, shall be construed to counteract a provision of the Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act providing that no person's rights, privileges, or access to services may be denied or abridged solely because he or she is homeless.
Human Services Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 04, 2020 8:30AM
Location:
Room C-1 Stratton Building
HB176 - Flowers - Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a redetermination of eligibility for medical assistance benefits shall be conducted once every 12 months. Effective January 1, 2020.
HB2069 - Jones - Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Creates the South Suburban Trauma Center Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides for the deposit and use of moneys in the fund. Provides for duties of the Health Facilities and Services Review Board regarding a south suburban trauma center. Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides for the use of specified toll revenue. Amends the State Finance Act to provide for the South Suburban Trauma Center Fund. Effective immediately.
HB3245 - Flowers - Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after January 1, 2020 no recipient of medical assistance shall be required to enroll or transition to the State's managed care medical assistance program. Provides that any recipient enrolled in a managed care health plan on January 1, 2020 shall be given the option to disenroll from the State's managed care medical assistance program and receive coverage under the State's fee-for-service program.
HB3662 - Flowers - Amends the University of Illinois Hospital Act and the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that before using any diagnostic algorithm to diagnose a patient, a hospital must first confirm that the diagnostic algorithm has been certified by the Department of Public Health and the Department of Innovation and Technology, has been shown to achieve as or more accurate diagnostic results than other diagnostic means, and is not the only method of diagnosis available to a patient. Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Provides that a patient has the right to be told when a diagnostic algorithm will be used to diagnose them. Provides that before a diagnostic algorithm is used to diagnose a patient, the patient must first be presented with the option of being diagnosed without the diagnostic algorithm and consent to the diagnostic algorithm's use.
HB3889 - Ford - Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Provides that the requirements for transmitting information to the central repository under the Prescription Monitoring Program also apply to opioid treatment programs that prescribe Schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substances for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
HB3948 - Gabel - Creates the Over the Counter Diet Pills Act. Prohibits the sale of over the counter diet pills to any person under 18 years of age. Provides that retail establishments selling over the counter diet pills must limit access, display, and provide access to over the counter diet pills designated by the Department of Public Health in specified manners. Provides that violations of the Act's provisions shall be punished as a business offense with a fine of no more than $2,000 and shall constitute an unfair method of competition and an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Illinois Insurance Code. Requires the Department, in consultation with the United States Food and Drug Administration and stakeholders, to determine which over the counter diet pills shall have limited accessibility. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code to make a conforming change. Effective 180 days after becoming law.
HB4071 - Ford - Creates the Safer Consumption Services Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Department of Public Health may approve an entity to operate a program in one or more jurisdictions upon satisfaction of specified requirements relating to, among other things, the safe and hygienic use of preobtained drugs. Requires the Department to establish standards for program approval and training and allows it to adopt any rules that are necessary to implement the Act. Requires the Department to approve or deny an application within 45 days after its receipt. Provides that a program approved by the Department must also be designated as an authorized needle and hypodermic syringe access program under the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act. Provides reporting requirements for entities operating programs under the Act. Provides that, except for criminal prosecution for any activities that are not conducted, permitted, and approved pursuant to the Act, specified persons related to a program shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability solely for participation or involvement in the program if it is approved by the Department under the Act.
HB4252 - Meyers-Martin - Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that the notice of a recipient's rights includes, if applicable, the recipient's right to request a transfer to a different Department of Human Services facility. Provides that a recipient, his or her attorney, guardian, if any, and responsible relative, in any Department facility may make a written application to the facility director of the recipient's current facility to transfer to another Department facility. Provides that the Department shall provide the form to make such an application to a recipient, his or her attorney, guardian, if any, and responsible relative upon request. Provides that a recipient of services shall not include a person with the primary diagnosis of a developmental disability. Provides that upon receipt of the recipient's application, the facility director shall promptly schedule a hearing to be held within 7 days. Provides that the hearing shall be held at the recipient's current facility. Establishes the recipient's burden of proof at the transfer hearing. Provides that if a recipient's application for transfer is denied, no application may be filed for 180 days. Provides that the recipient does, however, have the right to administratively appeal any decision of the utilization review committee. Effective immediately.
HB4342 - Bennett - Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Allows long-term care facilities to provide an opioid treatment program if they receive written approval from the Department of Public Health. Provides requirements for such an opioid treatment program.
HB4681 - Evans - Creates the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. Requires dealers of kratom products to disclose specified information. Provides that dealers shall not prepare, distribute, sell, or expose for sale: kratom products or kratom-containing products that meet specified criteria; or any kratom product to an individual who is under 18 years of age. Provides penalties and establishes a private cause of action for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
HB4868 - West - Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Requires facilities licensed under the Act to publish a record of all Type "AA", Type "A", and Type "B" violations of the facility received from the Department of Public Health for a period of no less than 5 years prior to the amendatory Act's effective date. Provides that the record must be published prominently on the facility's website. Provides disciplinary action for violation of the requirements.
HB5510 - Harris - Creates the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides requirements concerning disclosure and review of prior authorization requirements, denial of claims or coverage by a utilization review program, and the implementation of prior authorization requirements or restrictions. Provides requirements concerning a utilization review program's obligations with respect to prior authorizations in nonurgent circumstances, urgent health care services, and emergency health care services. Provides that a utilization review program shall not require prior authorization under specified circumstances. Provides requirements concerning the length of prior authorizations. Provides that health care services are automatically deemed authorized if a utilization review program fails to comply with the requirements of the Act. Provides that the Director of Insurance may impose an administrative fine not to exceed $250,000 for violations of the Act. Defines terms. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act to provide that an insurer that provides prescription drug benefits must comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides that if prior authorization for covered post-stabilization services is required by a health care plan, the plan shall comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide that all managed care organizations shall comply with the requirements of the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2021.
Health Care Licenses Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 04, 2020 10:00AM
Location:
Room 122B Capitol Building
HB197 - Flowers - Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Requires that at least one registered pharmacy technician be on duty whenever the practice of pharmacy is conducted. Requires that pharmacies fill no more than 10 prescriptions per hour. Requires 10 pharmacy technician hours per 100 prescriptions filled. Prohibits pharmacies from requiring pharmacists to participate in advertising or soliciting activities that may jeopardize patient health, safety, or welfare and any activities or external factors that interfere with the pharmacist's ability to provide appropriate professional services. Provides that a pharmacist shall receive specified break periods. Provides that a pharmacy may not require a pharmacist to work during a break period, shall make available a break room meeting specified requirements, shall keep a complete and accurate record of the break periods, and may not require a pharmacist to work more than 8 hours a workday. Provides for enforcement and penalties. Provides whistleblower protections for an employee of a pharmacy if the pharmacy retaliates against the employee for certain actions. Requires pharmacies to maintain a record of any errors in the receiving, filling, or dispensing of prescriptions.
HB2710 - Willis - HB 2710 (HFA 0001) is posted - Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the introduced bill with the following changes: Makes changes to the definitions of "licensed assistant behavior analyst" and "licensed behavior analyst". Makes changes to provisions concerning individuals not covered by this Act. Allows person that have met certain qualifications before the effective date of the Act to apply for licensure under the Act 20 months after the effective date of the Act. Provides that an assistant behavior analyst may also work under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist. Makes changes to provisions concerning qualifications for licensure, the Advisory Board of Behavior Analysts, grounds for disciplinary action, investigations, and hearings. Includes provisions concerning suspension of a license for failure to pay restitution; subpoenas, depositions, and oaths; and restoration of license. Removes references to "certifying entity". Makes other changes. Makes conforming changes in the Adult Protective Services Act and the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Effective immediately.
HB3684 - Ortiz - Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health may refuse to renew a license if (i) the hospital fails to provide to the Department a copy of its policy adopted under the Language Assistance Services Act, (ii) the Department determines that the hospital is not in compliance with its policy adopted under the Language Assistance Services Act, or (iii) the Department determines that the hospital is not in compliance with the Language Assistance Services Act. Effective January 1, 2020.
HB3936 - Scherer - Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must issue or deny a license no later than 30 days after completion of the application for practical nurse and registered professional nurse licensure. Provides that the Department must issue or deny a license no later than 30 days after receiving the required documentation for advanced practice registered nurse licensure. Effective immediately.
Prescription Drug Affordability & Accessibility Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 04, 2020 10:00AM
Location:
Room 114 Capitol Building
HB3493 - Guzzardi - House Committee Amendment 1 also posted. Creates a prescription drug affordability board to regulate drug prices. The Chamber is opposed to this legislation, which will harm the development of life-saving drugs.
HB4888 - Gong-Gershowitz - Creates a new statewide pharmaceutical take-back program. The Chamber is opposed. This legislation is duplicative of existing drug take-back programs and will not help consumers, but will add significant costs to Illinois employers.
Labor & Commerce Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 04, 2020 2:00PM
Location:
Room 114 Capitol Building
HB1459 - Zalewski - Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Ratifies and approves the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows for the issuance of multistate licenses that allow nurses to practice in their home state and other compact states. Provides that the Compact does not supersede existing State labor laws.
HB3361 - Crespo - HB 3361 (HCA 0002) also posted. Nurse payment bill. Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the introduced bill with the following changes. Expands the scope of the introduced bill to apply to nurses who are directed not to report to work and to nurses engaged in telemedicine. Provides that the report-to-work requirement is to be based upon an approved and distributed work schedule. Removes the requirements from the Minimum Wage Law and inserts those requirements into the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Effective January 1, 2020.
Appropriations-General Services Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 04, 2020 3:00PM
Location:
Room D-1 Stratton Building
SUBJECT MATTER: Governor, Supreme Court, State Board of Elections, Court Claims, Labor Relations Board, Insurance.
Appropriations-Human Services Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 05, 2020 8:00AM
Location:
Room C-1 Stratton Building
SUBJECT MATTER: Aging.
SB2541 - Harris - Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that 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, subject to federal approval, the rates taking effect on the latter of the approval date of the State Plan Amendment for these facilities or the Waiver Amendment for the home and community-based services settings shall include an increase sufficient to provide a $0.26 per hour wage increase to the base wage for non-executive staff. Requires the Department to adopt emergency rules. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Provides that emergency rules may be adopted to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
Mental Health Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 05, 2020 9:00AM
Location:
Room 114 Capitol Building
HB5498 - Conroy - Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall each appoint a Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Compliance Officer to assist with the responsibilities of enforcing the requirements of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that group accident and health policies providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment or services for illness on an expense-incurred basis shall provide specified coverage for the diagnosis and medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Provides criteria and standards for the types of treatment that constitute medically necessary treatment of mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions. Provides that an insurer shall not limit benefits or coverage for chronic or pervasive mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions to short-term treatment or to alleviating current symptoms. Provides that insurers shall perform specified actions to ensure the proper use of medical necessity criteria. Provides that if medically necessary services for mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorders or conditions are not available in-network within the geography and timeliness standards, the insurer must cover out-of-network services. Provides that if the Department of Insurance determines that an insurer has failed to meet the requirements of the amendatory Act, it shall impose a penalty per product line with respect to each beneficiary. Makes other changes.
Personnel & Pensions Committee
Scheduled Date:
Mar 05, 2020 10:00AM
Location:
Room 413 Stratton Building
HB4036 - Scherer - Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Defines "qualifying change in status" for the purpose of clarifying those persons who may be eligible for health coverage under the Act as an employee, spouse, or dependent due to such change in status. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately.
Senate Committees
Public Health
Scheduled Date:
Mar 03, 2020 1:00PM
Location:
400 Capitol
SB1410 - Murphy - Requires metal detectors at all hospital entrances. The Chamber is opposed - this legislation is overly burdensome and will not improve security but will increase health care costs.
SB3107 - Hunter - Creates the Sickle Cell Prevention, Care, and Treatment Program Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to establish a program for the purpose of providing for the prevention, care, and treatment of sickle cell disease and for educational programs concerning the disease. Requires the Department to: (1) develop application criteria and standards of eligibility for groups or organizations that apply for funds under the program; (2) develop standards for determining eligibility for individuals requesting care and treatment for sickle cell disease under the program; and (3) make available grants to groups and organizations who meet the eligibility standards set by the Department. Provides that the highest priority for grants shall be accorded to established sickle cell disease community-based organizations, and priority shall be given to ensuring the establishment of sickle cell disease centers in underserved areas that have a higher population of sickle cell disease patients. Provides that the program must: (i) increase access to health care, mental health resources, and pain management therapies for individuals with sickle cell disease; (ii) provide counseling to any individual, at no cost, concerning sickle cell disease and the sickle cell trait; (iii) provide for the establishment of additional sickle cell disease infusion centers; and (iv) provide for the development of a sickle cell disease educational outreach program. Requires the Department to conduct a study to determine the prevalence, impact, and needs of individuals with sickle cell disease and the sickle cell trait in Illinois. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Sickle Cell Chronic Disease Fund.
SB3184 - McGuire - Amends the Cadaver Act. Creates the Cadaver Advisory Council and tasks it with creating and maintaining a document containing current embalming techniques, preservation practices, and air quality testing from universities within the State, as well as recommendations regarding the administration of an anatomical education program. Requires the document to be made available on the Department of Public Health's website and kept up to date by the Department as it is maintained by the Council. Provides that the Council shall meet at least every 6 months. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall serve as the Council's chairperson alongside other specified members, who shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the Department for that purpose. Provides specified responsibilities for the chairperson, in consultation with Council members. Effective July 1, 2020.
SB3425 - Bush - Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a workgroup convened by the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide recommendations to the General Assembly on health plan data reporting requirements that separately break out data on mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorder or condition benefits and data on other medical benefits no later than May 31, 2020 (rather than December 31, 2019). Effective immediately.
SB3449 - Peters -Creates the Community Emergency Services and Support Act. Provides that every unit of local government that provides emergency medical services for individuals with physical health needs must also provide appropriate emergency response services to individuals experiencing a mental or behavioral health emergency. Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act to make conforming changes.
Human Services
Scheduled Date:
Mar 03, 2020 3:00PM
Location:
409 Capitol
SB2328 - Murphy - Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall create and maintain an online database and resource page on its website. Provides that the database and resource page shall contain mental health resources specifically geared toward post-secondary social workers, counselors, parents, faculty, graduate assistants, school administrators, graduate and undergraduate students, and support personnel with the goal of connecting those people with mental health resources related to crisis services, wellness, sexual health, survivor support, gender-based violence, nutrition, stress reduction, anxiety, depression, violence prevention, suicide prevention, and substance use and encouraging information sharing among educational administrators, security personnel, resource officers, faculty, students, and all other employees of a university or college. Effective immediately.
SB2520 - Aquino - Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after July 1, 2020, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall administer a school-based dental program that allows for the out-of-office delivery of preventative dental services in a school setting to children under 19 years of age. Requires the Department to establish guidelines for participation by providers and set requirements for follow-up referral care based on each caries risk assessment code required for each student. Provides that every effort shall be made to ensure that children enrolled in the school-based dental program are assigned a primary dentist by allowing local dentists who practice within each school district the opportunity to participate in the school dental program prior to utilizing mobile dental services or dental providers outside the individual school boundaries. Provides that no provider shall be charged a fee by any unit of local government to participate in the school-based dental program administered by the Department. Effective immediately.
SB3333 - Martwick - Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall create and maintain an online database and resource page on its website. Provides that the database and resource page shall contain mental health resources specifically geared toward first responders with the goal of connecting those persons with mental health resources related to crisis services, wellness, trauma information, nutrition, stress reduction, anxiety, depression, violence prevention, suicide prevention, and substance use and of encouraging information sharing among families of first responders, first responder organizations, first responder professional organizations, and first responders. Effective immediately.
SB3335 - Feigenholtz - Creates the Community Mental Health Reform Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in partnership with the Department of Human Services, to revise administrative rules and other Department policies and practices concerning certification and service requirements for community mental health centers and behavioral health clinics. Provides that the primary goal of revising the administrative rules and Department policies is to develop a modernized regulatory framework that: (1) fosters the provision of services that results in the best mental health and health outcomes and is consistent with a Medicaid managed care environment; (2) enables innovation and integrated mental and physical health care; (3) harnesses the modern mental health workforce; and (4) reduces unnecessary process barriers that do not offer meaningful clinical value and that act as a barrier to treatment. Requires the Department of Human Services to revise administrative rules concerning the Medicaid Community Mental Health Services Program to be consistent with changes made to administrative rules concerning certification and service requirements for community mental health centers and behavioral health clinics. Contains provisions concerning reducing client mental health assessments; enabling workforce expertise for certain roles on multidisciplinary, team-based treatment models; streamlining fee-for-service documentation requirements to enable increased time for client care; the establishment of a working group of community mental health centers and behavioral health clinics; and other matters. Effective immediately.
SB3336 - Steans - Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Expands the list of covered services under the medical assistance program to include services performed by a chiropractic physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 and acting within the scope of his or her license, including, but not limited to, chiropractic manipulative treatment. Removes a provision that eliminates adult chiropractic services as a covered service under the medical assistance program.
SB3373 - Feigenholtz - Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to establish, by rule, a process by which a provider of ambulance services can appeal a denied request for payment of ambulance services (rather than payment of non-emergency transportation by means of ground ambulance service), provides that for all appeals concerning ambulance services provided on and after December 15, 2012, the provider of ambulance services shall establish the medical necessity of the transport utilizing the patient care report and any other materials available in accordance with specified criteria established under the Code. Provides that a Physician Certification Statement, Certificate of Transportation Services, or Medical Certification for Non-Emergency Ambulance form is not necessary to establish medical necessity on appeal.
SB3416 - Castro - Amends the Community Services Act. Removes language requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a Family Support Services Voucher Pilot Program and instead requires the Department to coordinate and fund the Voucher Respite Program. Provides that the Voucher Respite Program shall be a subset of specified programs with the exception that administration of the Program shall not be limited to agencies that provide respite services. Provides that the purpose of the Program is to increase the number of families who are able to access respite services; provide families with greater flexibility over services; and prevent or delay the need for more intensive long-term care and support. Makes other conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2020.
SB3431 - Fine - Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Repeals provisions regarding community services for persons with visual disabilities at the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education. Amends the Disabilities Services Act of 2003. Repeals provisions regarding the operation of a Rapid Reintegration Pilot Program by the Department of Human Services. Effective immediately.
SB3526 - Feigenholtz - Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, in applying the regional wage adjuster component of the RUG-IV 48 reimbursement methodology, no adjuster shall be lower than 0.95. Effective immediately.
Insurance
Scheduled Date:
Mar 04, 2020 5:00PM
Location:
212 Capitol
SB2457 - Morrison - Insurance mandate for epi pen coverage. Chamber is neutral.
SB2470 - Murphy - No changes to a health plan in a plan year, including pharmaceuticals. Chamber is opposed.
SB2501 - Murphy - New open enrollment period for Medicare supplement plans
SB2561 - Fine - Payment parity for telehealth services. Chamber is opposed.
SB2746 - Gillespie - Prohibits mandatory arbitration clauses in insurance policies. Chamber is opposed.
SB2891 - Harris - SB 2891 (SCA 0001) is posted - Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an insurer shall only offer a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance that does not require a covered individual to pay a deductible for covered prescription drugs and provides that the cost-sharing requirement for a covered individual for any given prescription drug may not exceed the amount of the copayment or coinsurance specified in the policy's summary of benefits and coverage. Provides that the requirement does not apply to any high deductible health plan. Provides that high deductible health plans may not impose a deductible requirement with respect to any preventative care identified by the Internal Revenue Service. Effective January 1, 2021.
SB3147 - Feigenholtz - Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall establish a standing order complete with the issuance of a prescription for a smoking cessation product. Prescribes minimum requirements for the standing order. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for patient care services provided by a pharmacist for smoking cessation assessments and consultations. Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that the "practice of pharmacy" includes the assessment and consultation of patients and dispensing of tobacco and nicotine cessation drugs and products. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, subject to approval by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the medical assistance program shall cover patient care services provided by a pharmacist for smoking cessation assessments and consultations. Defines terms. Effective January 1, 2020.
JCAR Update
There are no new proposed healthcare-related rules in this weeks
Illinois Register.
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