Healthcare

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 Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to authorize coverage for screening by low-dose mammography for the presence of occult breast cancer for individuals 25 (rather than 35) years of age or older who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance. Requires the Department to convene 2 separate expert panels to review quality standards for mammography and establish quality standards for breast cancer treatment. Provides that subject to Department approval, rate methodology for screening and diagnostic mammography shall be based on the quality standards established by the expert panels and State qualified ACR Designated Comprehensive Breast Imaging Centers (formerly known as Breast Imaging Centers of Excellence). Requires the expert panels to establish a comprehensive and clinical methodology to inform women who are age-appropriate for screening mammography, but who have not received a mammogram within the previous 18 months, of the importance and benefits of screening mammography. Provides that within 2 years after the completion of a pilot program providing case-managing or patient navigation services for women diagnosed with breast cancer, the Department shall establish as a permanent initiative the Patient Assistance for Beneficiaries Diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Requires the Department to submit annual reports to the General Assembly detailing program outcomes, financial expenditures, and any recommendations for adjustments to maintain or enhance the program's effectiveness. Requires the Department to establish or facilitate training and continuing education opportunities specific to breast health and mammography for radiologists. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

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 Children's Mental Health Act. In provisions concerning the Children's Mental Health Partnership, makes changes to the Partnership's list of duties to include (i) reviewing or facilitating needs assessments (rather than conducting research assessments) to better understand the challenges and gaps of programs, services, and policies related to children's mental health; (ii) monitoring policy development related to children's mental health in Illinois at the local, State, and federal level; and (iii) regularly reviewing aggregate and de-identified data on the need for children's behavioral health services in Illinois that is collected by the Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation (BEACON) portal to ensure that system transformation can continue to be driven by data. Provides that the Partnership's membership shall include public members who reflect a diversity of sexual orientation; and that all Partnership members shall serve without compensation and with no entitlement to reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Removes a provision permitting the Partnership to convene study groups. Expands the membership of the adjunct council to include up to 10 youth aged 16 to 25 (rather than up to 6 youth aged 14 to 25) and up to 4 (rather than a minimum of 4) representatives of 4 different community-based organizations that focus on youth mental health. Makes other changes.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Department of Public Health for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $286,257,200; Other State Funds $364,858,708; Federal Funds $733,950,369; Total $1,385,066,277.

Amends the Rebuild Illinois Mental Health Workforce Act. Provides that, subject to federal approval, for dates of service on and after July 1, 2026, the Medicaid reimbursement rates for Assertive Community Treatment and Community Support Team services shall be increased by an amount appropriated for the purposes enumerated in the Act. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that "community health center" means a migrant health center, community health center, health care program for the homeless or for residents of public housing supported under the federal Public Health Service Act, or FQHC, including an FQHC Look-Alike, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that operates at least one federally designated primary health care delivery site in Illinois. Provides that "physician" means a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its branches and does not include a chiropractic physician. In provisions concerning acts constituting the practice of dental hygiene, provides that a public health dental hygienist may not administer local anesthesia except as provided in the amendatory provisions. Provides that a dental hygienist practicing in a community health center may administer local anesthetics upon the successful completion of a training program approved by the Department and under the general supervision of a dentist as long as the community health center: (i) has adopted written policies and procedures establishing supervision by a dentist or physician at the time the local anesthetics are administered, and (ii) ensures that a dentist or physician is physically present in the clinic at the time the local anesthetics are administered.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Expands medical assistance coverage to certain categories of lawfully present noncitizens. Sets income guidelines for qualifying persons age 19 through 64 and income guidelines for persons 65 years of age or older. Removes a provision permitting medical assistance coverage for up to 24 continuous months from the initial eligibility date, if otherwise eligible.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Allows the Department of Public Health to contract for a statewide mobile pregnancy application to promote awareness of maternal and infant health programs for Medicaid participants, eligible individuals, and the uninsured. Sets application requirements, data reporting standards, and payment terms. Provides for nondigital outreach. Directs the Department to issue a request for proposals within 180 days.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that coroners are first-responders for the purposes of provisions requiring a county that is a self-insurer for purposes of providing health insurance coverage for its employees to include mental health counseling for any county employee who is a first responder without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided.