Rep. Sonya Harper

Amends the Accident and Health Article of 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 the effective date of the amendatory Act must provide coverage for wigs or other scalp prostheses worn for hair loss caused by alopecia, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment for cancer or other conditions. Makes a conforming change in the Health Maintenance Organization Act and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Language Equity and Access Act. Requires the Governor's Office of New Americans, in partnership with the Department of Human Services, to: prepare a Language Needs Assessment Report that identifies the languages spoken throughout the State; assist State agencies in the creation of language access plans; provide oversight and central coordination to State agencies in the implementation of language access requirements under this Act; ensure that each State agency develops an internal complaint and review process specific to the provision of language assistance services in addressing complaints in a timely manner; and perform other duties. Requires the Office and Department to work with State agencies to compile available United States Census data on language used across the State to inform the Language Needs Assessment Report. Provides that the report shall be updated every 10 years in conjunction with the decennial federal census. Requires each State agency to prepare and submit a language access plan to the Governor's Office of New Americans.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that an animal shelter or animal control facility may (rather than shall) waive the adoption fee for a dog or cat if the person adopting the dog or cat is a veteran and meets specified criteria.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Requires coverage of medically necessary treatment of a mental, emotional, nervous, or substance use disorder or condition for all individuals who have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth to the same extent and cost-sharing as for any other medical condition covered under the policy. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed in this State shall provide coverage for medically necessary hormone therapy treatment to treat menopause (instead of to treat menopause that has been induced by a hysterectomy). Effective January 1, 2026.

Creates the Mobilizing Our Neighborhoods to Adopt Resilient Conservation Habitats (MONARCH) Act. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to provide financial and technical assistance for the planting of native and pollinator-friendly plants. Provides that the Department may prioritize grants based on the presence of certain species. Requires the Department to publish information on its website and design a yard sign. Provides that homeowners associations and common interest communities may not prohibit the planting of a pollinator habitat. Authorizes collaboration. Authorizes the Department to adopt rules. Effective immediately.

Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Adds definitions. Provides that the minimum ratio for each provider type shall be no less than any such ratio established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides that the maximum travel time and distance standards and appointment wait time standards shall be no greater than any such standards established for qualified health plans in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges by federal law or by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Makes changes to provisions concerning network adequacy, notice of nonrenewal or termination, transition of services, network transparency, administration and enforcement, provider requirements, and provider directory information. Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning notice of nonrenewal or termination and transition of services. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize the Department of Insurance to adopt emergency rules implementing federal standards for provider ratios, time and distance, or appointment wait times when such standards apply to health insurance coverage regulated by the Department of Insurance and are more stringent than the State standards extant at the time the final federal standards are published. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act for a consumer reporting agency: (1) to make, create, or furnish any consumer report or credit report containing, incorporating, or reflecting any adverse information that the consumer reporting agency knows or should know relates to medical debt incurred by the consumer or a collection action against the consumer to collect medical debt; and (2) to maintain in the file on a consumer any information relating to medical debt incurred by a consumer or a collection action against the consumer to collect medical debt.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed before January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for medically necessary continuous glucose monitors for individuals who are diagnosed with any form of diabetes mellitus (instead of type 1 or type 2 diabetes) and require insulin for the management of their diabetes. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for continuous glucose monitors, related supplies, and training in the use of continuous glucose monitors for any individual who is diagnosed with diabetes, who requires at least one daily injection or infusion of insulin, and who has been prescribed a continuous glucose monitor by a physician, a certified nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant. Provides that an individual who is diagnosed with diabetes and meets the specified requirements shall not be required to obtain prior authorization for coverage for a continuous glucose monitor, and coverage shall be continuous once the continuous glucose monitor is prescribed. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage required under the provisions. Effective July 1, 2024.

Appropriates $1,500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Natural Resources for a comprehensive study of the Kaskaskia River watershed in coordination with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Effective July 1, 2023.