Healthcare

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Ratifies and approves the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows for the issuance of multistate licenses that allow nurses to practice in their home state and other compact states. Provides that the Compact does not supersede existing State labor laws. Provides that the State may not share with or disclose to the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators or any other state any of the contents of a nationwide criminal history records check conducted for the purpose of multistate licensure under the Nurse Licensure Compact. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act. Provides that general review criteria shall include a requirement that nursing homes operated by a county, regardless of whether the nursing homes operated by a county are skilled and intermediate long-term care facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act, provide a Safety Net Impact Statement. Provides that a Safety Net Impact Statement shall also be filed with an application to change ownership of a nursing home operated by a county. Includes nursing homes operated by a county in a list of safety net service providers. Provides that nursing homes operated by a county shall also provide the number of the facility's Medicaid and Medicare certified beds for the 3 fiscal years prior to the application. The State Board Staff Report shall also include a statement of findings about an application's safety net impact under specified circumstances, and that the State Board Staff's assessment shall be considered in determining whether the project fulfills the public interest requirements. Amends the County Homes Division of the Counties Code. Removes a requirement that two-thirds of the county board is required sell, dispose of, or lease for any term, any part of the home properties, and requires a referendum before selling any home (rather than requiring a referendum only for homes that were erected after referendum approval by the voters of the county). Provides referendum language for the selling, disposition of, or lease of a home. Removes language providing that, if a county nursing home was erected after referendum approval by the voters of the county, the county nursing home may be leased upon the vote of a 3/5 majority of all the members of the board.

Creates the Safe Patient Limits Act. Provides the maximum number of patients that may be assigned to a registered nurse in specified situations. Provides that nothing shall preclude a facility from assigning fewer patients to a registered nurse than the limits provided in the Act. Provides that the maximum patient assignments may not be exceeded, regardless of the use and application of any patient acuity system. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules governing the implementation and administration of the Act. Provides that all facilities shall adopt written policies and procedures for the training and orientation of nursing staff and that no registered nurse shall be assigned to a nursing unit or clinical area unless that nurse has, among other things, demonstrated competence in providing care in that area. Provides requirements for the Act's implementation. Establishes recordkeeping requirements. Provides rights and protections for nurses. Contains a severability provision and other provisions. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that a hospital shall not mandate that a registered professional nurse delegate nursing interventions. Makes changes concerning staffing plans. Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Requires the exercise of professional judgment by a direct care registered professional nurse in the performance of his or her scope of practice to be provided in the exclusive interests of the patient.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual plan of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2026 that provides coverage for prescription insulin drugs shall limit the total amount that an insured is required to pay for a 30-day supply of covered prescription weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Moujaro, to an amount not to exceed $200, regardless of the quantity or type of covered prescription weight loss drug used to fill the insured's prescription. Provides that an insurer is not prohibited from reducing an insured's cost sharing by an amount greater than the specified amount. Grants the Department of Insurance rulemaking and enforcement authority. Provides that, on January 1 of each year, the limit on the amount that an insured is required to pay for a 30-day supply of a covered prescription insulin drug shall increase by a percentage equal to the percentage change from the preceding year in the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Insurance 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 Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall require that a covered individual's defined cost sharing for each prescription drug shall be calculated at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 100% of all rebates received in connection with the dispensation or administration of the prescription drug. Provides that an insurer shall apply any rebate amount in excess of the defined cost sharing amount to the health plan to reduce premiums. Provides that the provisions shall not preclude an insurer from decreasing a covered individual's defined cost sharing by an amount greater than the stated amount at the point of sale. Provides that the Department of Insurance may adopt rules to implement the provisions.

Amends the Illinois Antitrust Act. Requires the Attorney General to consent to covered transactions of health care facilities before a covered transaction may take effect.

Amends the Telehealth Act. Provides that an out-of-state health care professional may treat a patient located in this State through telehealth if the patient is a student attending an institution of higher education in this State, but is otherwise not a resident of the State when not attending the institution of higher education.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that a patient of record who is provided services through a mobile dental van or portable dental unit does not need to receive an in-person physical examination from a dentist prior to receiving treatment that utilizes teledentistry if such services are limited to certain procedures.

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the Education Assistance Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for grants to eligible nurse educators to use for payment of their educational loans pursuant to Public Act 94-1020. Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for nurse educator fellowships to supplement nurse faculty salaries. Appropriates $1,500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for competitive grants for nursing schools to increase the number of graduating nurses. Appropriates $6,000,000 from the Nursing Dedicated and Professional Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for expenses related to the Nursing Education Scholarship Law. Effective July 1, 2025.

Declares May 2025 as Celiac Disease Awareness Month to raise public awareness of this serious condition. Encourages support for improving the quality of life and health of individuals with celiac disease by advancing biomedical research to develop diagnostic tools, life-improving treatments, and a cure.