Healthcare

Creates the Hospital Staffing Plans Act. Provides that for each hospital there shall be established a hospital professional and technical staffing committee. Sets forth requirements and makeup of committee members and cochairs. Directs the professional and technical staffing committee to develop a written hospital-wide professional and technical staffing plan. Sets forth committee rules of operation. Requires the plan to be consistent with the approved nurse staffing plan for the hospital and takes into account the hospital service staffing plan for the hospital. Provides that if the committee does not adopt a staffing plan, or adopts only part of a plan, then either cochair may invoke an additional 60 day period to continue to develop the plan. Sets forth opportunities to extend the discussion, amendment, or adoption timeframe of the staffing plan. Provides that the committee must meet 3 times per year and additionally at the call of either cochair. Sets forth open meeting and recordkeeping requirements. Requires the hospital to submit the staffing plan to the Department of Public Health. Provides for a hospital service staffing plan in the same manner and methods as the professional and technical staffing committee. Provides that hospitals may combine 2 or more staffing committees into one committee in particular circumstances. Provides for a nurse staffing committee as the same manner and methods of the professional and technical staffing committee. Provides that hospitals may combine 2 or more staffing committees into one committee in particular circumstances. Sets forth the roles and responsibilities of a nurse in a hospital setting. Sets forth arbitration and complaint resolution. Sets forth required periodic reviews. Provides for penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that the Department of Labor may grant a variance to a written hospital-wide staffing plan. Provides for emergency staffing variances. Establishes the Nurse Staffing Advisory Board within the Department of Public Health. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires hospitals and birthing centers to adopt and maintain written policies and procedures authorizing a patient enrolled in the medical assistance program to select an Illinois Medicaid certified and enrolled doula of the patient's choice to accompany the patient within the facility's premises for the purposes of providing support before, during, and after labor and childbirth, and during the patient's entire postpartum stay. Provides that the doula shall be considered part of the patient's care team and shall not be counted as a support person or against any guest quota. Requires hospitals and birthing centers to provide a written copy of their policies and procedures to maternity patients, the facilities' maternity health care providers, and any other person at the patient's request. Requires publication of the written policies on each facility's website. Contains provisions concerning hospital and birthing center liaisons and doulas certification acknowledgment requirements. Permits the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department of Public Health to establish standing recommendations to meet Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements and ensure access to preventive services, including Medicaid-covered maternal and reproductive health supports and services.

This bill proposes the appointment of Melissa Shepherd to serve as a Member of the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Advisory Committee.

Declares September 2025 as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the State of Illinois to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer. Affirms support towards the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Amends the Grocery Initiative Act. Provides that Grocery Initiative Grants may be used to provide access to equipment that is needed to accept payment from the Women, Infant, Children's program (WIC). Makes changes to the definition of "grocery store" to include certain meat retailers, fruit and vegetable retailers, and fish and seafood retailers. Effective July 1, 2025.

This bill nominates Anusha Thotakura to serve as a member of the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Advisory Committee. If approved, Ms. Thotakura would join the committee responsible for advising on health benefits exchange matters in Illinois.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Establishes reimbursement rates for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for all group or individual policies of accident and health insurance or managed care plans that are amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 or for any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer. Requires a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 or any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer to cover certain medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. Provides that, if the Department of Insurance determines that an insurer or a contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer has violated a provision concerning mental health and substance use parity, the Department shall by order assess a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. Excludes certain health care plans serving Medicaid populations who are enrolled under the Illinois Public Aid Code or under the Children's Health Insurance Program Act from provisions concerning mental health and substance use parity. Requires the Department to review the impact of the proposed mental health and substance abuse mandate on network adequacy for mental health and substance use disorder treatment and access to affordable mental health and substance use care. Permits the Department to examine out-of-network utilization and out-of-pocket costs for insureds for mental health and substance use treatment and services for all plans to compare with in-network utilization. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, and the School Code to require coverage under those provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall review an applicant's application for a license to practice medicine under the Act concurrently with the applicant's application for a controlled substances registration. Requires the Department to issue an applicant's license and controlled substances registration concurrently. Effective immediately.

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 Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In a provision concerning applications for the expansion of supportive living dementia care settings, removes language permitting the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to approve such applications only if the application has no more than one non-dementia care unit for each dementia care unit.