Healthcare

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that whenever psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy is refused under a specified provision at least once that day, the psychiatrist or advanced practice psychiatric nurse (instead of the physician) shall determine and state in writing the reasons why the recipient did not meet the criteria for the administration of medication or electroconvulsive therapy and whether the recipient meets the standard for administration of psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy under a provision concerning the administration of psychotropic medication and electroconvulsive therapy upon application to a court. Provides that a petition requesting that the court authorize treatment with psychotropic medication shall specify the full names of the medications and anticipated range of dosage that comprise such treatment. Provides that no administration of psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy without the informed consent of the recipient may be authorized unless at least one psychiatrist or advanced practice psychiatric nurse who has examined the recipient testifies in person at the hearing. Makes other changes to definitions and provisions concerning administration of psychotropic medication and electroconvulsive therapy upon application to a court.

Amends the Community Emergency Services and Support Act. Replaces all references to the Division of Mental Health of the Department of Human Services with the Department of Human Services throughout the Act. Provides that 9-1-1 public safety answering points shall screen specific types of law enforcement calls and follow approved protocols and processes under the Act to identify callers experiencing behavioral health crises and to refer them for a behavioral health response. Provides that 9-1-1 public safety answering points shall open and follow the emergency medical dispatch protocols established under the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act at the start of all emergency calls to ensure the protocols are used and applied consistently and uniformly to ensure that information related to behavioral health emergency calls is available for data collection and can be used to determine which calls should be referred for a behavioral health response. Provides that, among other things, each Regional Advisory Committee or subregional committee must (1) review regional and subregional crisis response system capacities and resources to inform planning and implementation and to foster collaboration across all sectors of the system and (2) determine the need for and make a plan to support local communities to develop and use other resources to create additional mobile mental health relief provider services to expand the capacity to provide more immediate service coverage. Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, all public safety answering points shall use the protocols established under the Community Emergency Services and Support Act to identify behavioral and mental health-related emergencies that do not require a law enforcement response. Amends the Illinois State Police Law. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training programs shall include, among other things, community response options including, the community response options under the Community Emergency Services and Support Act. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows for the issuance of the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois decal. Provides that for the original issuance of the decal, a $25 fee shall be charged, with $10 to the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Fund and $15 to the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that for the renewal of the decal, a $25 fee shall be charged, with $23 to the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Fund and $2 to the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Creates the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Fund. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article in the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning annual funding for the health care transformation program, provides that funds that had been budgeted but unexpended in State fiscal years 2021 through 2027 may be allocated in State fiscal year 2028 in an amount not to exceed $150,000,000.

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.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Provides that, for any law implementing the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Department of Insurance may adopt rules that include incorporations by reference of federal rules and regulations without identifying the incorporated matter by date and without including a statement that the incorporation does not include later amendments. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Makes changes concerning the assignment or transfer of property and casualty policies; formatting requirements for the insurance company supplier diversity report; and insurance coverage for dependent parents. Provides that the Director of Insurance shall maintain as confidential any records or information received from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies (instead of insurance regulatory officials of other states) that are confidential in that other jurisdiction. Provides that the Department may waive registration and course certification fees if the pre-licensing or continuing education course is provided by a government entity free of charge. Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. In applicability provisions, removes language concerning exemptions for short-term, limited-duration health insurance coverage with a network plan. Repeals the Health Care Purchasing Group Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Creates an authorization and form for the release of an incapacitated person's health care records. Provides that an incapacitated person's health care records must be released upon written request of the guardian of the incapacitated person or by an agent appointed by the incapacitated person under a power of attorney for health care. Provides that, if no guardian or agent exists and the incapacitated person did not specifically object to disclosure of the incapacitated person's records in writing, then an incapacitated person's health care records must be released upon the written request of a person in one of these categories: (1) the incapacitated person's spouse; or (2) if there is no spouse, any one or more of the following: (i) an adult child of the incapacitated person, (ii) a parent of the incapacitated person, or (iii) an adult sibling of the incapacitated person. Provides that the named authorized relative upon request for records of a incapacitated person, shall provide the facility or practitioner with a statement of a treating health care provider that the person is incapacitated. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Defines "grandfathered health plan". Provides that, except for grandfathered health plans, a health insurance issuer in the individual, small group, or large group market shall not deny coverage to an individual or employer due to the individual's or employer's failure to pay premiums owed under a prior policy, certificate, or contract of insurance. Specifies that nothing in the provisions concerning past-due premiums prohibits a health insurance issuer from pursuing the collection of past-due premiums from an individual or employer by any other means permitted by law. Effective immediately.

Creates the Limitations on Facility Fees Act. Provides that no health care provider shall charge, bill, or collect a facility fee, except for: (i) services provided on a hospital's campus; (ii) services provided at a facility that includes a licensed hospital emergency department; or (iii) emergency services provided at a freestanding emergency center. Provides that, except as specified, no health care provider shall charge, bill, or collect a facility fee for: (i) outpatient evaluation and management services; or (ii) any other outpatient, diagnostic, or imaging services identified by the Department of Public Health. Requires the Department to annually identify services subject to the limitations on specified facility fees that may reliably be provided safely and effectively in settings other than hospitals. Sets forth provisions concerning reporting, rulemaking, and enforcement of the Act. Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act to make a conforming change. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any person who violates the Limitations on Facility Fees Act commits an unlawful practice.

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.