Healthcare

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Illinois Department on Aging for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $1,999,065,468; Other State Funds $13,670,500; Federal Funds $213,105,600; Total $2,225,841,568.

Amends the Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act. Includes any facility licensed under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act in the definition of "long term care facility". Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Removes a supportive living facility from the definition of "domestic living situation".

Amends the Community Services Act. Adds community day services to the list of service categories covered under the Act. Defines "community day services" to mean a Home and Community-Based Waiver day program that is certified by the Department of Human Services and provides assistance with gaining, maintaining, or improving skills and functioning to individuals with developmental disabilities. Makes conforming changes to the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act.

Creates the Screen Illinois Initiative Act. Authorizes the Department of Public Health to establish the Screen Illinois Initiative to increase the number of mobile health screening unit hubs in the State. Provides that the Screen Illinois Initiative funding shall be used to support the operations of the mobile health screening units by covering purchases, maintenance, salaries, and costs under the Act. Establishes requirements regarding the mobile health screening units and the protocols for follow-up care and appointments. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules. Defines terms. Makes other conforming changes.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Disability Benefits Maximization Program. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Central Management Services, in conjunction with the 5 State-funded retirement systems, shall enter into a contract with an administrator to establish and conduct a Disability Benefits Maximization Program to identify individuals eligible for but not enrolled in Medicare, and to assist those individuals with enrolling in Social Security and Medicare. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall conduct an annual audit of the State health benefits program for everyone covered under the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program, and the College Insurance Program for the purpose of identifying participants and their dependents who are eligible for Medicare under federal law and shall also ensure that those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, and dependents who are eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare with Medicare as their primary health care benefits coverage and the State health benefits program being the secondary provider of their health care benefits coverage. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall assist annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, and their survivors and dependents who become disabled and are not enrolled in Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare with enrolling in and obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Provides that the administrator of the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall provide the Department, the 5 State-funded retirement systems, and the General Assembly with an annual report. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that a pharmacist who is exercising his or her professional judgment may add missing non-pharmaceutical devices or durable medical equipment that aid in the appropriate clinical usage of a medication or in achieving a positive therapeutic outcome to a prescription. Provides that a pharmacist may complete missing information on a prescription if there is evidence to support the change. Requires any adaptations to a prescription to be documented in the patient's record. In provisions concerning the distribution of a prescription drug for less than its fair market value, provides that it shall be unlawful to require a pharmacist or pharmacy to dispense a prescription drug for less than its fair market value, including the cost of dispensing. Provides that a payor that reimburses a pharmacy for less than fair market value, including the cost of dispensing, shall not be able to include the pharmacy toward any network adequacy requirements and shall not be deemed in compliance with any willing provider provisions.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Removes language providing that provisions concerning reimbursement for certain telehealth services are inoperative on and after January 1, 2028.

Amends the Hospital Services Trust Fund Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to pay safety-net hospitals a low volume add-on payment of $200 for each inpatient General Acute and Psychiatric day of care, removes the December 31, 2026 sunset date for such add-on payments. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. In provisions concerning registered professional nurse licensure by examination, provides that, prior to September 1, 2029 (rather than September 1, 2026), no professional nursing program shall be placed on probationary status for failing to reach a licensure examination passage rate of less than 75%.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall develop an educational document explaining, at a minimum, the values of good indoor air quality and shall supply the document to school districts. Provides that, subject to funding from the State Board, a school district shall ensure that all active classrooms are equipped with an air quality monitor.