Rep. Mary Flowers

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Prohibits the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department on Aging, or any other State agency from utilizing a third-party managed care organization, a health maintenance organization, or any similar provider to administer or pay for medical assistance benefits made available under the Social Security Act or basic maintenance benefits made available by federal waiver to those persons eligible under specified provisions of the Code, unless the third party has an existing contractual relationship with the State to provide benefits to those eligible persons on or before December 31, 2009. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.

Amends the Illinois Banking Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Requires a comprehensive health education program to include instruction in secondary schools on clinical depression and suicide prevention. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 relating to abused, neglected, and dependent minors. Provides that when parental rights have been terminated for a minimum of 3 years and the child who is the subject of the permanency hearing is 13 years old or older and is not currently placed in a placement likely to achieve permanency, the Department of Children and Family Services shall make reasonable efforts to locate parents whose rights have been terminated, except when the Court determines that those efforts would be futile or inconsistent with the subject child's best interests. Provides that the Department shall assess the appropriateness of the parent whose rights have been terminated, and shall, as appropriate foster and support connections between the parent whose rights have been terminated and the youth. The Department shall document its determinations and efforts to foster connections in the child's case plan. Establishes procedures for a parent whose parental rights were terminated to file a motion to reinstate parental rights. Provides that the burden of proof shall be on the movant.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that upon any person's request, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall disclose to the person the status of the Disciplinary Board's review of a specific report or complaint. Provides that the request may be made at any time, including prior to the Disciplinary Board's determination as to whether there are sufficient facts to warrant further investigation or action. Provides that the Department shall, at least 14 days prior to the date set for the hearing, notify in writing any person who filed a complaint against the accused of the time and place for the hearing of the charges against the accused before the Disciplinary Board and inform such person whether he or she may provide testimony at the hearing.

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, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Provides that a policy of accident or health insurance or managed care plan shall establish and maintain an appeals procedure related to the denial of health care benefits. Sets forth guidelines for maintaining an appeals procedure, including an expedited process for an enrollee with (1) an ongoing course of treatment ordered by a health care provider, the denial of which could significantly increase the risk to an enrollee's health, (2) a treatment referral, service, procedure, or other health care service, the denial of which could significantly increase the risk to an enrollee's health, or (3) nonrenewal or termination of a plan. Provides that if an initial appeal is denied by the policy or plan, an enrollee is entitled to seek external independent review of the decision made by the policy or plan. Sets forth guidelines and requirements for the external independent review process. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to require a policy or plan to pay for a health care service not covered under the enrollee's certificate of coverage or policy. Provides that a policy or plan shall provide each enrollee, prospective enrollee, and enrollee representative with written notification of the policy's or plan's appeal processes. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act to provide that when an appeal concerns a decision or action by a health care plan, its employees, or its subcontractors that relates to the nonrenewal or termination of a plan, the health care plan must allow for the filing of an appeal either orally or in writing. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no company, in any policy of accident or health insurance, shall make or permit any distinction or discrimination against individuals solely because of handicaps or disabilities in specified provisions of the contract it makes or permit any distinction or discrimination against individuals solely because of handicaps or disabilities in the specified provisions of the contract it makes (instead of including an exception for those who meet specified criteria). Provides that no company shall refuse to insure or refuse to continue to insure, limit the amount or extent or kind of coverage available to an individual, or charge an individual a different rate for the same coverage solely because of health status or disability (instead of only because of blindness or partial blindness).

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that under the Chicago Board of Education's policies and rules concerning infectious disease, the Board shall require that all students wash their hands with a soap or detergent before consuming any meal at school and shall identify nationally accepted standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and provide the facilities, materials, and supervision necessary to implement the handwashing requirement. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Requires that the training of probationary and permanent police officers, including those of home rule units, include sensitivity training with regard to the African American male population of Illinois. Effective immediately.