Healthcare

Creates the Neurodegenerative Disease Patient Protection and Progress Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to convene a Neurodegenerative Disease Advisory Council within the Department. Sets forth provisions concerning the membership of the Advisory Council, terms of the members, meetings of the Advisory Council, and administrative support, and duties of the Advisory Council Provides that the Director of Public Health shall designate or hire a full-time Neurodegenerative Disease Coordinator within the Department to implement and administer the Act. Requires the Coordinator, acting through and under the supervision of the Director, and with input from the Advisory Council, to develop and publish a State plan to address neurodegenerative diseases. Sets forth required components of the Plan. Establishes a voluntary statewide clinical and population registry to collect de-identified information and, with the patient's informed consent, limited identifying information, to (i) improve understanding of burden imposed by neurodegenerative diseases, natural history, and outcomes, (ii) facilitate public health planning and service delivery, and (iii) support research consistent with applicable privacy protections. Establishes the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Support And Grant Fund to make grants to public or private not-for-profit entities for the purpose of conducting neurodegenerative disease research. Sets forth provisions concerning equity and rural access; coordination with federal programs, academic centers, and private partners; reporting; limitations; and rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under the Act may administer radiation to a human being and may supervise the administration of radiation by a person accredited to administer radiation to a human being by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security. Amends the Radiation Protection Act of 1990. In provisions concerning the limitations on the application of radiation to human beings, adds advanced practice registered nurses licensed under the Nurse Practice Act to the professionals who may intentionally administer radiation to a human being and to the professionals who may supervise a physician assistant, a technologist, a nurse, or other assistant administering radiation. Makes conforming changes in provisions concerning the accreditation of administrators of radiation.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Replaces reporting requirement provisions for the Department of Public Health concerning nurse surveyors. Provides that, in addition to the listed information, the Department's annual report on all survey activity from the preceding fiscal year shall include: (i) the total number of authorized nursing home surveyor positions within the Department, (ii) the total number of filled and vacant nursing home surveyor positions, (iii) the average length of tenure for nursing home surveyors employed by the Department at the time the report is created, and (iv) any additional information the Department deems relevant regarding nursing home surveyor recruitment, retention, or workload.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after January 1, 2027, the rates paid for children's dental comprehensive oral exams, periodic oral exams, problem focused exams, behavior management codes, sealants, resin-based composites-posterior teeth, and extraction and surgical extraction codes shall be increased by 33% above the rates in effect on December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Requires each facility to notify the appropriate regional office of the Department of Public Health within 24 hours, or by the end of the next business day, after each reportable incident or accident. Requires the facility to send a narrative summary of each reportable incident or accident to the Department within 5 days after the incident or accident.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that notwithstanding any other law or rule to the contrary, a State-operated developmental center funded, certified, or licensed by the Department of Human Services shall readmit, upon request, any former resident who transferred to and currently receives services at a licensed community-integrated living arrangement, if the former resident consents or if the former resident has a guardian with placement authority and that guardian consents based on a determination that the former resident's medical needs cannot be met by the program of services administered by the community-integrated living arrangement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall issue an annual Freestanding Emergency Center license to a facility if the facility complies with specified requirements, except that: (i) the Freestanding Emergency Center may be located in a municipality with a population greater than 50,000 inhabitants and (ii) the Freestanding Emergency Center may, if operated as provider-based under specified federal regulations, describe itself or hold itself out to the general public as a hospital emergency department in its advertising and marketing activities.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that every licensed pharmacy directly serving patients at a physical location shall conspicuously post a sign provided by the Department of Human Services that contains the following: (i) a statement that the Department of Human Services runs a Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; (ii) the Lifeline number; and (iii) any other information the Department of Human Services deems appropriate. Provides that the sign shall be printed in color ink or displayed electronically in color, measure at least 8.5 x 11 inches in size, and be posted at either a cashier counter or a waiting area that is clearly visible to patients. Requires licensed pharmacies that do not maintain a physical location that directly serves patients to include a copy of the sign with any dispensed prescriptions. Provides that the sign shall also be available to download on the Department of Human Services's website.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Voids any provision in an oral agreement or written instrument relating to real property suited for medical procedures that purports to forbid or restrict the conveyance, encumbrance, occupancy, or lease on the basis of providing reproductive health care so long as voiding the provision would not place the instrument or agreement in conflict with another law. Voids any condition, restriction or prohibition, including a right of entry or possibility of reverter, which directly or indirectly limits the use or occupancy of real property suited for medical procedures on the basis of providing reproductive health care so long as voiding the provision would not place the instrument or agreement in conflict with another law. Makes it a civil rights violation to insert in a written instrument a provision that is void under the Act.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, in accordance with federal guidance issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall exempt from electronic visit verification requirements all live-in caregivers who provide Medicaid-funded personal care services or home health care services under the Illinois Title XIX State Plan or a waiver of the plan, including personal care services and home health care services provided under various home and community-based services waiver programs authorized under the Social Security Act. Defines "live-in caregiver". Grants the Department rulemaking authority. Effective immediately.