Healthcare (Hospitals)

Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. Makes changes to findings and defined terms provisions. Provides that a hospital shall not deny any protection or benefit of the Act on the basis of a patient's citizenship or immigration status or assets or prospective assets. Provides that a patient who inquires about a denial of financial assistance in whole or in part must be permitted to appeal the decision within at least 90 days. Requires a hospital to use only a uniform financial assistance form developed and provided by the Attorney General no later than December 31, 2026. Provides that every hospital bill and every collection notice must notify the patient, in the patient's preferred language, of the availability of hospital financial assistance and charity care. Establishes further provisions concerning hospitals pursuing collection actions; outsourced health care services; patient responsibilities; and applicability of the Act. Amends the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act. Sets forth provisions concerning uninsured patient discounts for specified income levels. Prohibits hospitals from making the availability of a discount under the Act contingent upon the uninsured patient first applying for coverage under public health insurance programs. Provides that patients may not be denied a discount under the Act on the basis of citizenship or immigration status or assets or prospective assets. Makes other changes concerning uninsured patient discounts, outsourcing health care services, and patient responsibilities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to pay safety-net hospitals a low volume add-on payment of $200 for each inpatient General Acute and Psychiatric day of care, removes the December 31, 2026 sunset date for such add-on payments. Effective immediately.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Reproductive Liberty and Justice Act. Amends the Equity and Representation in Health Care Act. Expands the definition of "medical facility" to include a reproductive health center established at a nonprofit community health center. Makes other changes. Amends the Birth Center Licensing Act. Makes changes to the definition of "birth center". Provides that a birth center and any licensed provider of abortion and birth control services on site may be colocated at the same facility. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules for licensing and designating colocated facilities to provide specified essential reproductive health care services. Contains other provisions. Amends the Licensed Certified Professional Midwife Practice Act. Provides that a licensed certified professional midwife may provide out-of-hospital care to a childbearing individual who has had a previous cesarean section, if authorized by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Removes language prohibiting a licensed certified professional midwife from (1) performing an abortion or (2) knowingly accepting responsibility for prenatal or intrapartum care of a client with alcohol abuse or drug addiction. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Removes from the definition of "neglected child" any child who is a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance. Makes corresponding changes to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the Adoption Act, and the Vital Records Act. Contains provisions concerning CAPTA notifications and prohibited disclosures regarding the results of a toxicology test administered on a newborn or a pregnant person. Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Contains provisions concerning Plans of Safe Care. Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Provides that a patient has the right for a physician and other health care service providers to administer specified medical tests without disclosing the results of the test to a law enforcement agency or to the Department of Children and Family Services. Amends the Illinois Health and Hazardous Substances Registry Act. Makes changes to the definition of "adverse pregnancy outcome". Contains provisions concerning certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth. Makes other changes.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to pay safety-net hospitals a health care equity add-on payment that is based on such hospitals' Medicaid inpatient utilization rate, removes the December 31, 2026 sunset date for the add-on payments. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Extends the period of eligibility within which a hospital, that would have qualified for the rate year beginning October 1, 2011 or October 1, 2012, shall be a Safety-Net Hospital. Effective immediately.

Amends the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act. Provides that beginning January 1, 2028, a treatment hospital, treatment hospital with approved pediatric transfer, or approved pediatric health care facility may submit a sexual assault treatment plan which includes the use of a TeleSANE interactive telecommunications system which allows a qualified medical provider to precept a medical forensic examination while located at a distant site. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that in inspection and copying of law enforcement records maintained by law enforcement agencies that relate to a minor who has been investigated, arrested, or taken into custody before the minor's 18th birthday by victims and their attorneys, the information identifying the nonrequesting victims shall be redacted in cases of multiple minor victims or multiple victims of sex offenses. Amends the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act. Provides that a victim shall not be excluded from any part of the trial unless a written motion to exclude a victim from trial was filed at least 60 days prior to the date set for trial. Makes other structural and technical changes in the Act. Makes other changes. Amends the Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, or Stalking Act. Defines "eligible person" as a person 18 years of age or older who is the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking; the parent or guardian of a minor or disabled adult who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking; and a household member of a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking. Allows household members who are not victims to participate in the program. Provides that a participant whose certification has not been withdrawn or cancelled may reapply to the Address Confidentiality Program to renew certification for an additional 4 years. Changes notice process for certification cancellation. Allows the Attorney General discretion to continue the participation of participants who have a change of legal name and specifies notice in that process. Makes other changes.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Requires every hospital to adopt an influenza and pneumococcal immunization policy that includes procedures for identifying patients age 18 or older (rather than 50 or older) for influenza immunization and 50 or older (rather than 65 or older) for pneumococcal immunization.

Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Removes a provision which provides that, in ambulatory surgical treatment centers, anesthesia service shall be under the direction of a physician who has had specialized preparation or experience in the area or who has completed a residency in anesthesiology. Specifies that with respect to anesthesia service in an ambulatory surgical treatment center, a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall seek consultation regarding development of an anesthesia plan and treatment of patients as is appropriate to the certified registered nurse anesthetist's level of expertise and scope of practice and as is warranted by the needs of the patient. Removes a requirement that an anesthesiologist participate through discussion of and agreement with the anesthesia plan and remain physically present and be available on the premises. Provides that a certified registered nurse anesthetist with clinical privileges may perform acts of advanced assessment and diagnosis and may provide such functions for which the certified registered nurse anesthetist is educationally and experientially prepared. Makes conforming changes to the Hospital Licensing Act. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a written collaborative agreement shall be adequate with respect to collaboration with certified registered nurse anesthetists if all of the following apply: (1) the agreement is written to promote exercise of professional judgment by the certified registered nurse anesthetist commensurate with his or her education and experience; (2) the certified registered nurse anesthetist provides service based on a written collaborative agreement with the collaborating physician; and (3) methods of communication are available with the collaborating physician in person or through telecommunications for consultation, collaboration, and referral as needed to address patient care needs. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that an Illinois-licensed advanced practice registered nurse certified as a certified registered nurse anesthetist shall be deemed by law to possess the ability to practice without a written collaborative agreement. Sets forth requirements of a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Makes conforming changes in the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act and the Hospital Licensing Act. Removes the requirement that an anesthesiologist must remain physically present during the delivery of anesthesia services. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. In provisions concerning delegation of authority, removes the requirement that an anesthesiologist or physician must remain physically present during the delivery of anesthesia services by a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Removes the requirement that an anesthesiologist, physician, dentist, or podiatric physician must remain physically present during the delivery of anesthesia services by a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. In provisions concerning hospitals and their agents pursuing collection actions, provides that, for any legal action initiated against a patient for unpaid medical debt, a hospital may not file for or be granted a lien upon that patient's primary residence or on any other real property owned by the patient. Effective January 1, 2027.