Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Removes a provision prohibiting the non-contributory portion of a program of health-benefits from including the expenses of obtaining an abortion. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision excluding abortions or induced miscarriages or premature births from the list of services provided under the State's medical assistance program. Removes language providing for the adoption of rules to prohibit a physician from providing medical assistance to anyone eligible for medical assistance benefits if the physician has been found guilty of willfully and wantonly performing an abortion procedure upon a woman who was not pregnant at the time of the procedure. Removes other provisions concerning abortion restrictions. Amends the Problem Pregnancy Health Services and Care Act. Removes language prohibiting the Department of Human Services from making grants to nonprofit agencies and organizations that use such grants to refer or counsel for, or perform, abortions. Amends the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. Provides that it is the intention of the General Assembly to reasonably regulate abortion in conformance with the legal standards set forth in the decisions of the United States Supreme Court of January 22, 1973. Removes language concerning the General Assembly's declaration that the unborn child is a human being from the time of conception and is, therefore, a legal person for purposes of the unborn child's right to life. Makes other changes.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Adds additional duties for the Inspector General for the Department of Human Services. Defines "substantiated" to mean that there is clear and convincing evidence (rather than a preponderance) to support the allegation of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Defines "nurse-training". Changes the criteria for non-licensed authorized direct care staff. Provides that within one year after the bill's effective date, the Department shall prepare a report that identifies any efficiencies or improvements in Department operations, the oversight of agencies, and the reduction or elimination of duplicative activities. The report shall include a quality assessment of the feasibility of combining the functions of the Division of Developmental Disabilities' Bureau of Quality Management and the Department's Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure, and Certification. Upon the report's completion, the Department shall post the report on the Department's website and submit it to the General Assembly and Governor. Amends the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act. Provides that using contemporary data gathered on reports of allegations of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, the Department shall establish a process by which the Department requires responses from agencies that annually report a number of allegations that are 2 or more standard deviations from the mean for all agencies. Provides that if an agency has documented evidence and has determined that the agency cannot adequately staff a community-integrated living arrangement, then the agency may take immediate steps to close the community-integrated living arrangement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Video Gaming Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Defines "retail health care facility". Creates provisions concerning workplace violence against nurses in specified medical facilities concerning notice, contacting law enforcement, and mental health services. Requires specified medical facilities to create a workplace violence prevention program with specified requirements. Provides whistleblower protections for any nurse of a specified medical facility if management retaliates against the nurse for certain actions. Provides appropriate cross references in the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, the University of Illinois Hospital Act, the MC/DD Act, the ID/DD Community Care Act, and the Hospital Licensing Act. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice institutions or facilities shall provide notice and specified protections when a committed person is transferred out of the institution or facility to receive medical care and treatment.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no individual or group policy of accident and health insurance amended, issued, delivered, or renewed in the State after the effective date of the amendatory Act that covers the treatment of stage 4 advanced, metastatic cancer shall limit or exclude coverage for a drug by mandating that the insured shall first be required to fail to successfully respond to a different drug or prove a history of failure of the drug unless the use of the drug is consistent with best practices for the treatment of stage 4 advanced, metastatic cancer and is supported by peer-reviewed medical literature. Makes conforming changes in the State Employee Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code.
Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. In provisions concerning transition of services, provides that the health care plan shall not modify an enrollee's coverage of a drug during the plan year if the drug has been previously approved for coverage by the plan for a medical condition, the plan's prescribing provider continues to prescribe the drug for the medical condition, and the patient continues to be an enrollee of the health care plan. Provides specific prohibited modifications of drug coverage in the health plan. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit a health care plan from requiring a pharmacist to effect generic substitutions of prescription drugs. Provides that the provisions do not prohibit the addition of prescription drugs to a health care plan's list of covered drugs during the coverage year. Provides that the provisions do not apply to a health care plan as defined in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 or medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that interest penalties that may be payable under the Act, as provided under specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code, shall be paid from a separate appropriation from each fund for such purpose and for each appropriated agency. Amends the State Budget Law. Provides that for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and for each fiscal year thereafter, the budget shall include a separate line item request appropriating moneys to each State agency for estimated costs for each fund under the State Prompt Payment Act and specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the sum of transfers among line item appropriations for an agency in a fiscal year shall not exceed 2% of the aggregate amount appropriated to it within the same treasury fund for, among other objects, late interest penalties under the State Prompt Payment Act and specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that if lump sum appropriations are enacted with a separate line item for late interest penalties under the State Prompt Payment Act and the Illinois Insurance Code, the 2% transfer authority shall apply to the aggregate amount of these appropriations. Amends the State Prompt Payment Act to provide that interest penalties that may be payable under the Act and under specified Sections of the Illinois Insurance Code shall be paid from a separate appropriation from each fund for such purpose and for each appropriated agency. Effective immediately.
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for any person to engage in misleading or false advertising or promotion that misrepresents the need to seek mental health disorder or substance use disorder treatment outside of the State of Illinois. Requires any marketing, advertising, promotional, or sales materials directed to Illinois residents concerning mental health disorder or substance use disorder treatment to (i) prominently display or announce the full physical address of the treatment program or facility; (ii) include a link to the Internet website for the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health and Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse; and (iii) provide that mental health disorder and substance use disorder treatment may be available at a reduced cost or for free for Illinois residents. Prohibits arrangements under which a patient seeking mental health disorder or substance use disorder treatment is referred to a mental health disorder or substance use disorder treatment program or facility in exchange for a fee or other remuneration. Amends the Health Care Worker Self-Referral Act. Provides that a violation of any provision of the Act constitutes an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a violation of the Act's prohibition against fee splitting constitutes an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in the short title Section.
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act to require coverage for hearing instruments and related services for all individuals under the age of 18 when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument. Provides that an insurer shall provide coverage for hearing aids subject to certain restrictions. Provides that an insurer shall not be required to pay a claim if the insured filed such a claim 12 months prior to the date of filing the claim with the insurer and the claim was paid by any insurer. Effective immediately.