March 13, 2022
Good evening!
Session Update:
The House and Senate were both in session last week. It was a light week for healthcare related issues. The House returns on Tuesday, March 15th for 3 days of session. The Senate returns on March 22nd. It was a slower Committee week last week.
Bills we are watching closely this week:
HB 4175 INS-HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE, deadline was extended to March 31, 2022. Amends the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Law. Provides that the Department of Insurance has the authority to operate the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange. Provides that the Director of Insurance may require plans in the individual market to be made available for comparison on the exchange, but may not require all plans be purchased exclusively on the exchange. Provides that the Director may require that plans offered on the exchange conform with standardized plan designs. Provides that the Director may apply a monthly assessment to each health benefits plan sold in the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange according to specified rates. Provides that the Director shall establish an advisory committee to provide advice to the Director concerning the operation of the exchange and that the advisory committee shall include specified members. Provides that the Department shall also have the authority to coordinate the operations of the exchange with the operations of the State Medicaid program and the FamilyCare Program to determine eligibility for those programs as soon as practicable. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules. Removes provisions concerning small employer health insurance coverage and markets. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2023.
Bills of Interest with Floor Action:
SB 4018, Pharmacies passed out of the Senate by a vote of 49-0-0. This bill provides that the Pharmacy Practice Act is repealed on January 1, 2028 (instead of January 1, 2023). Provides that a registered pharmacy technician may be delegated to perform any task within the practice of pharmacy if specifically trained for that task except for final prescription verification except where a registered certified pharmacy technician verifies a prescription dispensed by another pharmacy technician using technology-assisted medication verification. Removes a provision that provides that additional licensure rules may provide for a reasonable annual fee, not to exceed $20, to fund the cost of recordkeeping. Provides that if a pharmacy temporarily closes for more than 72 hours, it is the duty of the pharmacist in charge and the owner of such pharmacy to report to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation within 72 hours of temporary closure. Provides that the citation the Department may issue to any licensee for any violation of the Act or the rules shall not exceed $3,000 (instead of $1,000). Provides that nothing shall prohibit an individual employee licensed as a pharmacist, pharmacy technician, or student pharmacist (rather than only licensed as a pharmacist) from accessing the employer pharmacy's database from a home (rather than a pharmacist's home) or other remote location or pharmacist's home verification (rather than home verification) for the purpose of performing certain prescription processing functions, provided that the pharmacy establishes controls to protect the privacy and security of confidential records.
Committees Scheduled the Week of March 14th:
View the Senate Committee schedule for next week here. View the House committee schedule here.
Weekly GAP Call
The Chamber will host a Government Affairs Professionals (GAP) call on Monday, March 7th at 3:00 pm. We will provide you the latest updates on what legislation we are watching this Spring. Call in information is provided below.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Or call in (audio only)
Phone Conference ID: 463 563 254#
List of Key Dates:
Bills Out of Committee, Second Chamber: House & Senate-March 25
Third Reading Substantive Bills, Second Chamber: House & Senate-April 1
Adjournment: April 8
