Healthcare

Amends the Community Mental Health Act. Authorizes any public library district to construct, repair, operate, maintain, and regulate community mental health facilities. Provides that a public library district authorized to levy an annual tax under the Act shall establish a community mental health board whose members are appointed by the president of the public library district's board of trustees.

Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a physician assistant may prescribe, dispense, order, administer, and procure drugs and medical devices without delegation of authority by a physician. Provides that a physician assistant may practice without a written collaborative agreement. Provides that a physician assistant who files with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation a notarized attestation of completion of at least 250 hours of continuing education or training and at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience after first attaining national certification shall not require a written collaborative agreement to practice. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions; physician assistant title; collaboration requirements; written collaborative agreements, prescriptive authority, and physician assistants in hospitals, hospital affiliates, or ambulatory surgical treatment centers; inactive status; limitations; and grounds for disciplinary action. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act to make corresponding changes.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions listing the classes of persons eligible for medical assistance, provides that, to the extent permitted by federal law, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall by rule eliminate the consideration of assets when determining eligibility for any program of medical assistance. Requires the Department to seek federal authority to disregard all resources, including real and personal property, as authorized by the flexibilities provided under a specified federal law or other available authorities. Provides that if adjustment or elimination of the asset limit results in any disadvantage to receiving medical assistance in a community setting, the Department shall adopt rules rebalancing the programs so that, where medical assistance is available in a community setting, a medical assistance beneficiary has free choice between receiving those services in the community or in a long-term care facility. Makes conforming changes by: (i) removing a provision that requires the Department to establish, by rule, the amounts of assets to be disregarded in determining eligibility for medical assistance; (ii) removing a provision that permits the Department to establish resource standards for pregnant individuals applying for medical assistance that are more restrictive than those resource standards established under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program; and (iii) removing a provision that permits the Department to allow non-exempt assets up to $25,000 during periods of medical assistance eligibility for employed persons with disabilities and employed persons with a medically improved disability.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, the rate must be multiplied by 5 for nursing facilities which have disclosed their status as Alzheimer's special care units under the requirements of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Special Care Disclosure Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to update the status for nursing facilities for rates in effect each January 1.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for enhanced penalties for aggravated assault or aggravated battery of emergency department staff of a health care facility. Defines "emergency department staff" as any clinical or nonclinical staff present in the emergency department or emergency room of a health care facility who may come in contact with patients, including, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, nonphysician providers, technicians, security staff, patient transporters, respiratory therapists, housekeeping personnel, secretaries, and pharmacists. Defines "health care facility" as a facility, hospital, or establishment licensed or organized under the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act, the University of Illinois Hospital Act, the Hospital Licensing Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, or the Community Living Facilities Licensing 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 create a professional development course that addresses racial disparities in maternal health treatment and the impact of racial disparities on non-Hispanic Black and American Indian women. Provides that the course shall have a length of at least one hour. Requires the course to include education on (i) current statistics about pregnancy-related death for all racial and ethnic groups, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (ii) potential risk factors associated with women that are a part of a marginalized racial or ethnic group that has increased maternal mortality rates, and (iii) medical care plans and programs that have been demonstrated to successfully decrease maternal mortality rates and complications before and after pregnancy. Provides that the Department shall require health care professionals to complete the professional development course.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Changes the repeal date of the Illinois Dental Practice Act from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2036. Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. In the definition of "branches of dentistry", adds oral and maxillofacial pathology, dental public health, oral medicine, and orofacial pain to the included specialties. Creates a temporary dental hygiene license for dental students who meet certain requirements. Provides that a licensee holding a temporary dental hygiene license must practice under the supervision of a dentist. Provides that the temporary dental hygiene license is active for one year from its issuance date. Changes the implementation deadline for an order regarding the services that are necessary to be performed on a patient who is in a State or federal prison and who cannot travel to a dental office to 180 days of the order's issuance (rather than 45 days of the order's issuance). Removes language providing that provisions concerning public health dentistry are inoperative on and after January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to establish and administer a Seniors Deserve Dignity Program that provides monthly supplemental personal needs payments to persons residing in supportive living facilities who receive medical assistance and a personal needs allowance as specified in the Illinois Administrative Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, a qualifying person shall receive a monthly supplemental personal needs payment in the amount of $30 so that the person's total monthly personal needs allowance is no less than $120. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, a qualifying person shall receive a monthly supplemental personal needs payment in the amount of $60 so that the person's total monthly personal needs allowance is no less than $150. Requires a qualifying person's monthly supplemental personal needs payment amount to be adjusted for inflation beginning July 1, 2027 and every July 1 thereafter. Provides that the monthly supplemental personal needs payments shall not be considered income for purposes of determining eligibility or the amount of assistance for any public aid benefit provided under State law. Grants the Department rulemaking authority. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act concerning the Prescription Monitoring Program. Provides that interstate data sharing agreements shall be mutual. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall only share data if the reciprocal state provides equal access to data of the reciprocating state to all authorized users, licensed health care entities, and application vendors regardless of their method of connection to the Prescription Monitoring Program for interstate data sharing. Effective immediately.

Amends the Vector Control Act. Adds legislative findings to the Act. Defines "integrated vector management approach". Provides that an organization performing mosquito control as a public service shall submit to the Department of Public Health a written integrated vector management plan. Provides that this requirement does not apply to (i) the Department mosquito control grantees who are supervised by the Department on the effective date of the amendatory Act or (ii) a business or person regulated under the Structural Pest Control Act. Provides that a vector management organization shall establish and maintain a system of public notification prior to the use of wide-area chemical pesticides from the public right of way. Provides that a vector management plan shall consist of a plan for the prevention and biological and nonchemical control of disease vectors based upon scientific data prescribed by the Department. Effective January 1, 2026.