Healthcare

This Senate resolution designates June 9, 2026, as FSGS Awareness Day in Illinois to highlight focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure. The bill aims to increase public understanding of the condition, which disproportionately affects African American communities and often requires dialysis or transplants. By establishing this specific date, the state intends to support patients and families while encouraging efforts for better diagnosis and access to emerging treatments.

Creates the Protective Medical Equipment Freedom Act. Provides that all individual in the State have the right to wear protective medical equipment in any place of public accommodation where they have a lawful right to be without obligation to disclose health status or any other protected information, and no person, entity, or authority shall deny, restrict, or infringe upon this right. Provides that operators and public officials shall not discriminate against or penalize medical device wearers for exercising their right to wear protective medical equipment. Provides that discrimination under the Act includes, but is not limited to: denial of service; eviction from premises; any form of harassment to remove or refrain from wearing such equipment for any amount of time; specified actions taken by employers; and provision of unequal goods, services, facilities, advantages, or accommodations. Sets forth provisions concerning the protection against retaliation, the exceptions for security requirements, operational safety, age and identity restricted products, and financial institution customer identification, and an undue hardship exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Establishes reimbursement rates for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for all group or individual policies of accident and health insurance or managed care plans that are amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 or for any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer. Requires a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 or any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer to cover certain medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. Provides that, if the Department of Insurance determines that an insurer or a contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer has violated a provision concerning mental health and substance use parity, the Department shall by order assess a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. Excludes certain health care plans serving Medicaid populations who are enrolled under the Illinois Public Aid Code or under the Children's Health Insurance Program Act from provisions concerning mental health and substance use parity. Requires the Department to review the impact of the proposed mental health and substance abuse mandate on network adequacy for mental health and substance use disorder treatment and access to affordable mental health and substance use care. Permits the Department to examine out-of-network utilization and out-of-pocket costs for insureds for mental health and substance use treatment and services for all plans to compare with in-network utilization. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, and the School Code to require coverage under those provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each public institution of higher education with student health services shall provide enrolled students with access to health care professionals authorized under State law to prescribe contraception. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, if the public institution of higher education's student health services includes a pharmacy, the pharmacy on campus shall dispense contraception to enrolled students who wish to fill their prescriptions at the university pharmacy. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each public institution of higher education with student health services shall provide enrolled students with access to health care professionals authorized under State law to prescribe medication abortion. Provides that a public institution of higher education that dispenses medication abortion from the university pharmacy shall enter into a referral agreement with a tertiary care facility with obstetrics and gynecological services in the event of complication from medication abortion or suspected complicated pregnancy prior to dispensing medication abortion. Requires each public institution of higher education to report annually to the Board of Higher Education that policies under the provisions have been adopted. Requires the Board to post to its website annually each public institution of higher education's compliance with the policies under the provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act, and the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Allows an applicant for licensure under those Acts to temporarily practice under supervision while the applicant's application for licensure is pending under specified circumstances. Removes good moral character standards as qualification requirements for the licensing of social workers and music therapists. Creates procedures for placing a license on inactive status for social workers and professional counselors. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must allow reasonable exam accommodations for licensed marriage and family therapists and clinical psychologists whose primary language is not English if a test in the therapist's or psychologist's primary language is not available.

Amends the Hypodermic Syringes and Needles Act. Provides that, upon request, a pharmacist shall (rather than may) sell up to 100 sterile hypodermic syringes or needles to a person who is at least 18 years of age. Provides that a syringe or needle sold at a pharmacy shall (rather than may) be sold only from the pharmacy department of the pharmacy.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that "practice of pharmacy" includes the assessment and consultation of patients and dispensing of contraceptives, including emergency contraception (rather than the dispensation of hormonal contraceptives). In provisions concerning the dispensation of contraceptives, changes the contraceptives dispensed to contraceptives, including emergency contraception (rather than hormonal contraceptives). Makes conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover patient care services provided by a pharmacist for contraceptives, including emergency contraception (rather than hormonal contraceptives). Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that any group or individual policy of accident or health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2027 shall provide coverage for laser hair removal if the procedure is prescribed medical treatment in accordance with generally accepted standards of medical care. Provides that the coverage shall apply to individuals with conditions including, but not limited to, body dysmorphia, hidradentis suppreativa, polycystic ovary syndrome, or other similar skin conditions. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid code to require coverage under those provisions.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Excludes student health insurance coverage from a provision requiring group or individual policies of accident and health insurance that provide dependent coverage to make that dependent coverage available to the parent or stepparent of the insured if certain conditions are met. Effective immediately.

Amends the County Department of Corrections Division of the Counties Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act. Provides that, upon the release of a prisoner or committed person from a county correctional institution, county jail, or Department of Corrections correctional institution or facility, the sheriff, warden, or Department shall provide the prisoner or committed person with an opioid antagonist if the prisoner was incarcerated for drug-related charges or was identified as having a substance abuse disorder.