Healthcare

Amends the Medicaid Technical Assistance Act. Requires the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center to collaborate with public and private partners throughout the State to identify, establish, and maintain best practices necessary for health providers to ensure their capacity to participate in the Illinois Medical Assistance Program (rather than ensure their capacity to participate in HealthChoice Illinois or YouthCare). Requires the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center to promote equitable delivery systems, remaining committed to the principle that all Medicaid recipients have accessible and equitable physical and mental health care services. Removes provisions concerning the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center's administration of network adequacy reports, and instead requires the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center to administer a network recruitment plan. Provides that by using reports and data provided by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ External Quality Review Organization on network adequacy, provider service deserts, and health care disparities by race and ethnicity, the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center shall propose for Department review and approval an annual plan for recruiting providers to participate in the Illinois Medical Assistance Program and report on outcomes of its recruitment efforts to the Department for continuous improvement. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to maximize federal financial participation for any moneys appropriated to the Department for the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center and to deposit all federal financial participation funds into the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center Fund. Repeals a provision creating the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center Fund. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides for the dissolution of the Medicaid Technical Assistance Center Fund on July 1, 2026, or as soon thereafter as practical, after the transfer of all remaining funds into the Healthcare Provider Relief Fund. Effective July 1, 2026.

Creates the Food Reform to Ensure Student Health Act. Requires each school district in the State to begin to eliminate ultraprocessed foods of concern and restricted school foods by July 1, 2029. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2032, a vendor may not offer to a school either an ultraprocessed food of concern or a restricted school food. Requires food vendors to report to the Department of Public Health certain information about ultraprocessed foods of concern and restricted school foods that they have sold to schools. Requires the Department, in consultation with the State Board of Education, to submit to the General Assembly and Governor annual summary reports of the data submitted to it by food vendors. Directs the Department to post these reports on its website. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules establishing definitions of the terms "ultraprocessed foods of concern" and "restricted school foods" for purposes of these requirements. Requires the Department to review those rules and, if needed, update them every 5 years. Requires the Department to consult with the State Board of Education and to provide compliance training for school food service and procurement staff. Describes the topics to be covered by the Department in the training. Provides for the repeal of the Act on January 1, 2034. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes provisions requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to: (i) establish benchmarks for hospitals to measure and align payments to reduce potentially preventable hospital readmissions, inpatient complications, and unnecessary emergency room visits; (ii) publish provider-specific historical readmission data and anticipated potentially preventable targets 60 days prior to the start of the program; and (iii) adopt policies and rates of reimbursement for readmission services and other payments.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that, upon request by a patient, a hospital must transfer the patient to the requested health care facility, regardless of whether the facility is part of the hospital's health care network. Effective immediately.

Amends the Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act. Provides that in one's "own home" means that an adult with a mental disability lives alone; or that an adult with a mental disability is in full-time residence with his or her parents, legal guardian, or other relatives; or that an adult with a mental disability is in full-time residence in a setting not subject to licensure under the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Child Care Act of 1969 with 5 (rather than 3) or fewer other adults unrelated to the adult with a mental disability who do not provide home-based services to the adult with a mental disability.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Defines "retail pharmacy". Provides that a retail pharmacy that, on average, receives 150 or more prescription drug orders during its operating hours must satisfy one of the following requirements during all times that the pharmacy remains open for the transaction of business: (1) a pharmacist is present at the location and working in his or her capacity as a pharmacist, or (2) a registered pharmacy technician, registered certified pharmacy technician, student pharmacist, or other supportive staff that is authorized to sell prescriptions is present at the location and working in that capacity pursuant to provisions concerning pharmacy working conditions.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act concerning the Prescription Monitoring Program. Provides that interstate data sharing agreements shall be mutual. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall only share data if the reciprocal state provides equal access to data of the reciprocating state to all authorized users, licensed health care entities, and application vendors regardless of their method of connection to the Prescription Monitoring Program for interstate data sharing. Effective immediately.

Creates the Health Care Availability and Access Board Act. Establishes the Health Care Availability and Access Board to protect State residents, State and local governments, commercial health plans, health care providers, pharmacies licensed in the State, and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. Contains provisions concerning Board membership and terms; staff for the Board; Board meetings; circumstances under which Board members must recuse themselves; and other matters. Provides that the Board shall perform the following actions in open session: (i) deliberations on whether to subject a prescription drug product to a cost review; and (ii) any vote on whether to impose an upper payment limit on purchases, payments, and payor reimbursements of prescription drug products in the State. Permits the Board to adopt rules to implement the Act and to enter into a contract with a qualified, independent third party for any service necessary to carry out the powers and duties of the Board. Creates the Health Care Availability and Access Stakeholder Council to provide stakeholder input to assist the Board in making decisions as required by the Act. Contains provisions concerning Council membership, member terms, and other matters. Provides that the Board shall adopt the federal Medicare Maximum Fair Price as the upper payment limit for a prescription drug product intended for use by individuals in the State. Prohibits the Board from creating an upper payment limit that is different from the Medicare Maximum Fair Price for the prescription drug product that has a Medicare Maximum Fair Price. Requires the Board to implement an upper payment limit that is the same as the Medicare Maximum Fair Price no sooner than the Medicare implementation date. Provides that Medicare Part C and D plans are not required to reimburse at the upper payment limit. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce the Act and may pursue any available remedy under State law when enforcing the Act. Effective 180 days after becoming law.

Creates the Ban on Harmful Supplements for Minors Act. Prohibits the sale of diet pills or dietary supplements for weight loss or muscle building to any person under 18 years of age, unless that individual has a prescription. Provides for responsibilities of retail establishments. Provides for responsibilities of delivery sellers. Provides that the Attorney General may apply for a special proceeding to issue an injunction upon notice to the defendant of not less than 5 days, with certain requirements. Provides that any person who violates any provision of this Act is liable for a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation. Provides for an affirmative defense based upon compliance with the Act, with certain requirements. Provides for rulemaking by the Attorney General or the Department of Public Health to determine additional dietary supplements or drugs that are subject to the Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health may adopt other rules as necessary to implement this Act. Defines terms.

Creates the Holistic Overdose Prevention and Equity Act. Creates the Harm Reduction Program Board, with certain requirements. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall issue grants to harm reduction providers, with certain requirements. Establishes a Chief Harm Reduction Officer within the Department. Provides for a place-based approach to harm reduction pilot program. Provides for local government training and continuing education. Provides that naloxone shall be made readily available to all staff and individuals in prisons and jails, with certain requirements. Provides for medication for opioid use disorder and fentanyl testing. Restricts the use of abstinence-only or sobriety requirements to housing, with certain requirements. Limits home rule powers. Makes findings. Defines terms. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Counties Code, the County Jail Act, the Unified Code of Corrections, the Hospital Licensing Act, and the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act to make conforming changes.