Healthcare (Prescription Drugs)

Amends the Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides that the Act applies to policies issued or delivered to persons who are enrolled in the State Employee Group Health Insurance Program to the extent required under a provision of the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 concerning required health benefits. Provides that a health insurance issuer shall not require prior authorization where a covered medication, with the exception of benzodiazepines or Schedule II narcotic drugs: (1) is prescribed for the management and treatment of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes type 1, diabetes type 2, or pre-diabetes; and (2) is for a patient currently managed with an established treatment regimen for at least 12 months. Provides that nothing in the provision prevents a health care plan from denying an enrollee coverage or imposing a prior authorization requirement if the United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a statement about the drug that calls into question the clinical safety of the drug, the drug manufacturer has notified the United States Food and Drug Administration of a manufacturing discontinuance or potential discontinuance of the drug, or the drug manufacturer has removed the drug from the market. In a provision concerning the length of prior authorization approval for treatment of chronic or long-term condition, excludes a provision of the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 concerning coverage for injectable medicines to improve glucose or weight loss. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 shall be prohibited from limiting or excluding coverage of any prescription drug that an enrollee has been continuously using for a period of 6 months or more, so long as the prescription drug was selected by the enrollee's prescribing provider while the enrollee was covered by the enrollee's current or previous health plan. 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 Prior Authorization Reform Act. Provides that a health insurance issuer may not require prior authorization for: a prescription drug prescribed to a patient by a health care professional for 6 or more consecutive months, regardless of whether the prescription drug is a non-preferred medication pursuant to the patient's health insurance coverage; the following prescription drugs or the therapeutic equivalent approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration: insulin; human immunodeficiency virus prevention medication; human immunodeficiency virus treatment medication; viral hepatitis medication; estrogen; and progesterone; or human immunodeficiency virus pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration; Truvada; Harvoni; Descovy; and Apretude.

Creates the Prescription Drug Purchasing Task Force Act. Creates a Prescription Drug Purchasing Task Force in the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to study the different ways that other states are using multi-state prescription drug purchasing pools to increase the State's negotiating power and lower prices for patients. Provides for duties of the Task Force. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Provides that, on or before July 31, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and to the Governor. Provides that the Prescription Drug Purchasing Task Force is abolished and the Act is repealed on January 1, 2027.

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, the Pharmacy Practice Act, and the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that, during State fiscal years 2025 and 2026, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall allow individuals in rural counties a one-time waiver of fees imposed under specific provisions in each Act. Effective immediately.

Urges the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), in consultation with the Illinois Board of Pharmacy, to eliminate the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) as a requirement for pharmacist licensure in the State of Illinois. Encourages the IDFPR and the Illinois Board of Pharmacy to consider alternative approaches to ensuring pharmacists' understanding of state-specific laws and rules, including continuing education, attestation statements, or integration of jurisprudence content within the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).

Creates the Illinois Universal Health Care Act. Provides that all individuals residing in the State are covered under the Illinois Health Services Program for health insurance. Sets forth the health coverage benefits that participants are entitled to under the Program. Sets forth the qualification requirements for participating health providers. Sets forth standards for provider reimbursement. Provides that it is unlawful for private health insurers to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the coverage of the Program. Provides that investor-ownership of health delivery facilities is unlawful. Provides that the State shall establish the Illinois Health Services Trust to provide financing for the Program. Sets forth the requirements for claims billing under the Program. Provides that the Program shall include funding for long-term care services and mental health services. Provides that the Program shall establish a single prescription drug formulary and list of approved durable medical goods and supplies. Creates the Pharmaceutical and Durable Medical Goods Committee to negotiate the prices of pharmaceuticals and durable medical goods with suppliers or manufacturers on an open bid competitive basis. Sets forth provisions concerning patients' rights. Provides that the employees of the Program shall be compensated in accordance with the current pay scale for State employees and as deemed professionally appropriate by the General Assembly.

Encourages the creation of policies that have a broad approach and encompass access, bias, and cost in order to move healthcare closer to achieving pharmacoequity to pave the way for better health outcomes.

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.

Creates the Access to Prescription Drugs Act. Provides that any State agency may enter into partnerships to increase competition, lower prices, and address shortages in the market for generic prescription drugs; to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for public and private purchasers, taxpayers, and consumers; and to increase patient access to affordable drugs. Requires the partnerships to result in the production or distribution of generic prescription drugs with the intent that these drugs be made widely available to public and private purchasers, providers and suppliers, and pharmacies. Provides that the State agency shall comply with specified requirements when entering into partnerships or setting prices for generic prescription drugs. Requires a State agency that elects to enter into a partnership under the Act to submit separate reports to the General Assembly that (1) assess the feasibility of directly manufacturing generic prescription drugs and selling generic prescription drugs at a fair price; and (2) describe the status of all drugs targeted under the Act and analyze how the activities of the State agency may impact competition, access to targeted drugs, the costs of those drugs, and the costs of generic prescription drugs to public and private purchasers. Contains other provisions. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt certain information disclosed under Access to Prescription Drugs Act from inspection and copying under the Act. Contains a severability provision. Effective July 1, 2025.