Healthcare

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to revise all Department forms and billing codes to remove the term "mental retardation" and replace it with "intellectual disability".

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, the personal needs allowance for a qualifying medical assistance recipient who is a resident in a facility licensed under the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act shall equal $100. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the personal needs allowance shall increase annually at the same rate as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to take effect on January 1 of each year.

Creates the Support for Family Home Health Aides and Caregivers Act. Requires the Director of Healthcare and Family Services to establish, no later than one year after the effective date of the Act, a Family Home Health Aide Program for the purposes of training a family caregiver of an eligible relative on the provision of qualified home health services to supplement home health and private duty nursing services in the State. Provides that under the program, the Director must certify a family caregiver of an eligible relative who has successfully completed the approved training for family home health aides, and meets all other applicable requirements established by the State, and is determined to be in compliance with any federal law concerning family home health aides. Provides that, subject to federal approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a certified family home health aide shall be eligible to provide qualified home health services to an eligible relative under any home and community-based services waiver program authorized under the Social Security Act. Contains provisions concerning the development of training requirements for family home health aides; certification requirements for family home health aides; employment opportunities; the different types of home health services; a requirement to triage services based on clinical acuity; the development of a clinical acuity tool to assist in determining the care needs of medically fragile individuals; the establishment of a respite program for family home health aides and other nursing professionals; reimbursement rates for home health aide services; utilization of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services' electronic verification system; reporting requirements; and rulemaking.

Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that certain provisions related to probationary separation, term appointments, and veterans hospital visits are subject to Jurisdiction B. Changes references to veterans hospital visits to references to veterans medical appointments. Provides that an employee who is also a veteran shall be permitted 4 days per year to receive medical care authorized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, at any type of health care provider or health care facility (rather than permitted 4 days per year to visit a veterans hospital or clinic), for examination or treatment (rather than for examination) of a military service-connected condition (rather than service-connected disability).

Appropriates $2,950,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education to address shortages of school psychologists in this State through specified methods. Effective July 1, 2025.

Declares October 13, 2025 as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day in the State of Illinois. Encourages all residents to join in the national effort to raise awareness by illuminating local landmarks in teal, green, and pink and supporting the urgent need for increased metastatic breast cancer (MBC) research funding.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2027, hearing aids are exempt from the taxes under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Declares February of 2025 as Turner Syndrome Awareness Month. Urges that Turner Syndrome Awareness Month be used to increase awareness of the condition and that funding and support for awareness events, educational initiatives, increased research, and support groups be increased.

Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Provides that a health care plan shall provide annually to enrollees and prospective enrollees, upon request, a statement of all basic health care services and all specific benefits and services mandated to be provided to enrollees by State law or administrative rule, highlighting any newly enacted State law or administrative rule. Provides that this requirement can be fulfilled by providing enrollees the most up-to-date accident and health checklist submitted to the Department of Insurance, reflecting statutory health care coverage compliance by the health care plan. Requires the Office of Consumer Health Insurance to post in a prominent location on the Department's publicly accessible website an annual report on the development and implementation of federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and other governmental policies and actions that pertain to the adequacy of health care plans, facilities, and services in the State and summary of all State health insurance benefit related legislation enacted in the prior calendar year that includes, at minimum, a link to the Public Act, the statutory citation, the subject, a brief summary, and the effective date. Amends the Uniform Health Care Services Benefit Information Card Act. Adds a health benefit plan offering dental coverage to the list of plans required to issue a health care benefit information card. Specifies health care benefit information cards may be electronic or physical. Requires uniform health care benefit information to display on the back of the card a statement indicating whether the plan is self-insured or fully funded and if the plan is subject to regulation by the Department of Insurance. Makes other changes.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act and ending on December 31, 2025, a hospital that would have qualified for the rate year beginning October 1, 2024 shall be a Safety-Net Hospital. Effective immediately.