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Ethylene Oxide Ban Advances
With the bare minimum necessary number of votes, Rep. Rita Mayfield's HB3888 moved out of the House last Wednesday and is now awaiting committee assignment in the Senate. As a reminder, the legislation would phase out the use of ethylene oxide by manufacturers, sterilizers and hospitals in densely populated areas and set strict emissions limits for the rest of the state. The Chamber continues to oppose this short-sighted proposal that will put the healthcare supply chain at risk. Recognizing the significant nationwide capacity concerns due to recent sterilization facility closures, the FDA put out a statement recently highlighting concerns with additional restrictions.
Prospects for the legislation look less rosy in the Senate, but your Chamber team will be hard at work to make sure this bill does not become law.
Insulin Bill Moves Forward
Sen. Manar's SB667, which would cap insulin-related insurance copays at $100 per month and authorize the Attorney General to investigate and make pricing recommendations, sailed out of the Senate last week on a vote of 48-7. It has arrived in the House and already has nearly 40 Democratic cosponsors. One of the primary concerns we have with this legislation is that it won't achieve the stated goals to make insulin more affordable. Capping copays just means that premiums or deductibles will increase - making healthcare that much more unaffordable to the 20 percent of consumers who don't have employer-provided healthcare.
ACA Open Enrollment Begins
Last Friday, Nov. 1, marked the beginning of Illinois' healthcare exchange open enrollment period. More than 140 plans are available from five different carriers. More than 300,000 enrolled at this time last year. If you or your organization is interested in shopping for plans, please visit http://www.getcovered.illinois.gov.
Healthcare-Related Bills Introduced
Below are several new pieces of legislation that have been introduced since our last update.
HB3929 - Morgan -
Amends the Health Maintenance Organization Act. Changes the term "managed care organization" to "health maintenance organization" in a provision concerning an Illinois Public Aid Code assessment. Effective immediately.
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.
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.
SB2286 - Rezin -
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an out-of-network provider of emergency air transportation may not charge an insured a rate that is 125% more than the rate allowed by Medicare for similar services. Effective July 1, 2020.
JCAR Update
There was one new healthcare-related rule proposed last Friday.
The Department of Aging proposed amendments to Community Care Program (89 IAC 240; 43 Ill Reg 12209) concerning requirements for automated medication dispensing (AMD) services to Community Care Program (CCP) participants. Certain technical specifications for AMD systems are updated, and providers must make every effort to schedule and conduct installation when the participant, his/her authorized representative if any, and an assisting (currently, "responsible") party are present. A CCP participant may qualify for AMD services if he or she takes 1 (currently, 5) or more medications that must be administered on a set schedule and has any 1 (currently, 2 or more) of the following diagnoses: cognitive impairment, diabetes, congestive heart failure, hypertension, depression/mental illness, or cancer. CCP clients and agencies and AMD service providers are affected by this rulemaking.
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