(215 ILCS 5/356z.35)

Sec. 356z.35. Long-term antibiotic therapy for tick-borne diseases.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Long-term antibiotic therapy" means the administration of oral, intramuscular, or intravenous antibiotics singly or in combination for periods of time in excess of 4 weeks.

"Tick-borne disease" means a disease caused when an infected tick bites a person and the tick's saliva transmits an infectious agent (bacteria, viruses, or parasites) that can cause illness, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) a severe infection with borrelia burgdorferi;

(2) a late stage, persistent, or chronic infection or complications related to such an infection;

(3) an infection with other strains of borrelia or a tick-borne disease that is recognized by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

(4) the presence of signs or symptoms compatible with acute infection of borrelia or other tick-borne diseases.

(b) An individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-371) shall provide coverage for long-term antibiotic therapy, including necessary office visits and ongoing testing, for a person with a tick-borne disease when determined to be medically necessary and ordered by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches after making a thorough evaluation of the person's symptoms, diagnostic test results, or response to treatment. An experimental drug shall be covered as a long-term antibiotic therapy if it is approved for an indication by the United States Food and Drug Administration. A drug, including an experimental drug, shall be covered for an off-label use in the treatment of a tick-borne disease if the drug has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

(Source: P.A. 101-371, eff. 1-1-20; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)