Healthcare

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Strengthen Linkage to Follow-Up Care after a Behavioral Health Crisis Act. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for purposes of timely linking an individual to follow-up mental health care immediately after a behavioral health crisis, when mobile crisis response services are provided to someone in a behavioral health crisis, the Illinois Medicaid-Crisis Assessment Tool approved by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall enable the delivery of community support services, medication monitoring, and other specified services when delivered by the same provider, for up to 30 days without beginning, performing, or completing an integrated assessment and treatment plan. Provides that such services shall be billed separate from mobile crisis response services. Prohibits the Department from imposing more stringent requirements on its Illinois Medicaid-Crisis Assessment Tool than those requirements that exist on the effective date of the amendatory Act, as long as the services provided are delivered under the supervision of a licensed practitioner of the healing arts. Requires the Department to file any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall require any health care facility receiving State or federal funding to publish the facility's financial records on the facility's publicly accessible website at the end of each fiscal year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that county medical examiners and coroners are first responders for the purposes of provisions requiring a county to provide health insurance coverage for its employees who are first responders without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to administer and regulate an All Kids Dental School Program, requires the Department to include certain program requirements, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) all participating dentists must be enrolled in the Department's provider enrollment system within the Illinois Medicaid Program Advanced Cloud Technology System; (2) each dental entity must complete the All Kids School-Based Dental Program Provider Registration Application; (3) all dental providers approved must be able to render the full scope of preventative school-based services for an out-of-office setting, including a Caries Risk Assessment; and (4) each dental entity approved must obtain a signed consent form from each student's parent or guardian prior to providing services. Removes language prohibiting the preemption of a home rule unit's or school district's authority to establish, change, or administer a school-based dental program in addition to, or independent of, the school-based dental program administered by the Department. Requires the Department to coordinate with the Chicago Public Schools on which schools will participate in the school-based dental program and then oversee the allocation of schools in the metropolitan Chicago area to dental providers. Requires schools to be assigned to dental providers on a first-come, first-served basis or put on a wait list if no schools are available at that time. Provides that no more than 80 schools per provider shall be allowed; and that providers may subcontract with other approved providers to render services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the total payments under a provision concerning the Board providing partial reimbursement of health insurance costs may not exceed $100,000,000 (instead of $65,000,000) in any year. Provides that the amount shall annually thereafter be increased by the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the consumer price index for the 12 months ending with the September preceding each November 1, including all previous adjustments. Defines "consumer price index".

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that any policy of accident or health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028 that provides coverage for medically necessary pediatric therapy shall provide coverage on a per-session basis. Provides that the terms of the policy may not limit coverage to a specified number of sessions per day. 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 the provisions of those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Genetic and Metabolic Diseases Advisory Committee Act. Changes the name of the Genetic and Metabolic Diseases Advisory Committee to the Universal Newborn Screening Advisory Committee. Adds duties for the Committee, including duties to hold quarterly meetings, review conditions, make recommendations, and prepare reports. Makes conforming changes in the short title of the Act, the Newborn Metabolic Screening Act, and the Rare Disease Commission Act. Effective immediately.

Urges the United States Congress to enact a one-year extension of ACA subsidies through December 31, 2026, with enhanced oversight mechanisms to combat the estimated $25 billion in annual fraud, including stricter verification processes for enrollments and penalties for fraudulent activities. Urges Congress to include a clause in the extension legislation stipulating that, if comprehensive ACA reforms are not enacted by December 31, 2026, all members of Congress and the United States Senate shall forfeit their government health plan subsidies effective January 1, 2027, thereby aligning their incentives with those of the taxpayers who fund over 75% of their premiums.

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Adds a provision requiring that applicants for licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant shall submit their fingerprints for the purpose of criminal history records background checks. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may adopt rules necessary to implement the amendatory provisions. Provides that the State of Illinois ratifies and approves the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of physical therapy with the goal of improving public access to physical therapy services, and states that the Compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. In the Compact, contains provisions concerning definitions; state participation in the Compact; active duty military personnel and their spouses; adverse actions; the establishment of the Physical Therapy Compact Commission; a data system; rulemaking; oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement; the date of implementation; withdrawal; construction; and severability.

Expresses the belief that nursing, social work, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education are professional disciplines that require advanced graduate education, professional licensure, and adherence to rigorous ethical and clinical standards. Lists the graduate degrees that should be considered professional degrees. States that any state agency, public university, or entity receiving state funds should take all necessary steps to avoid discrimination against individuals holding these graduate degrees in hiring, promotion, compensation, professional development funding, or other terms and conditions of employment based on any federal student loan classification. Urges the United States Department of Education to include all graduate degrees in nursing, social work, counseling, therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education in its definition of "professional degrees" for federal student loan purposes. Urges the Illinois Congressional Delegation to advocate for legislation to ensure that graduate students in all health and human services professions have access to adequate federal student loan funding to complete their professional education. Commits to exploring state-level solutions to support graduate education in health and human services professions, including but not limited to scholarships, grants, loan repayment assistance programs, and other workforce development initiatives. Expresses support for the licensed health and human services professionals in Illinois who serve our most vulnerable populations with skill, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the public good.