(325 ILCS 20/13) (from Ch. 23, par. 4163)

Sec. 13. Funding and Fiscal Responsibility.

(a) The lead agency and every other participating State agency may receive and expend funds appropriated by the General Assembly to implement the early intervention services system as required by this Act.

(b) The lead agency and each participating State agency shall identify and report on an annual basis to the Council the State agency funds utilized for the provision of early intervention services to eligible infants and toddlers.

(c) Funds provided under Section 633 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 United States Code 1433) and State funds designated or appropriated for early intervention services or programs may not be used to satisfy a financial commitment for services which would have been paid for from another public or private source but for the enactment of this Act, except whenever considered necessary to prevent delay in receiving appropriate early intervention services by the eligible infant or toddler or family in a timely manner. "Public or private source" includes public and private insurance coverage.

Funds provided under Section 633 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and State funds designated or appropriated for early intervention services or programs may be used by the lead agency to pay the provider of services (A) pending reimbursement from the appropriate State agency or (B) if (i) the claim for payment is denied in whole or in part by a public or private source, or would be denied under the written terms of the public program or plan or private plan, or (ii) use of private insurance for the service has been exempted under Section 13.25. Payment under item (B)(i) may be made based on a pre-determination telephone inquiry supported by written documentation of the denial supplied thereafter by the insurance carrier.

(d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit the State to reduce medical or other assistance available or to alter eligibility under Title V and Title XIX of the Social Security Act relating to the Maternal Child Health Program and Medicaid for eligible infants and toddlers in this State.

(e) The lead agency shall create a central billing office to receive and dispense all relevant State and federal resources, as well as local government or independent resources available, for early intervention services. This office shall assure that maximum federal resources are utilized and that providers receive funds with minimal duplications or interagency reporting and with consolidated audit procedures.

(f) The lead agency shall, by rule, create a system of payments by families, including a schedule of fees. No fees, however, may be charged for: implementing child find, evaluation and assessment, service coordination, administrative and coordination activities related to the development, review, and evaluation of Individualized Family Service Plans, or the implementation of procedural safeguards and other administrative components of the statewide early intervention system.

The system of payments, called family fees, shall be structured on a sliding scale based on the family's ability to pay. The family's coverage or lack of coverage under a public or private insurance plan or policy shall not be a factor in determining the amount of the family fees.

Each family's fee obligation shall be established annually, and shall be paid by families to the central billing office in installments. At the written request of the family, the fee obligation shall be adjusted prospectively at any point during the year upon proof of a change in family income or family size. The inability of the parents of an eligible child to pay family fees due to catastrophic circumstances or extraordinary expenses shall not result in the denial of services to the child or the child's family. A family must document its extraordinary expenses or other catastrophic circumstances by showing one of the following: (i) out-of-pocket medical expenses in excess of 15% of gross income; (ii) a fire, flood, or other disaster causing a direct out-of-pocket loss in excess of 15% of gross income; or (iii) other catastrophic circumstances causing out-of-pocket losses in excess of 15% of gross income. The family must present proof of loss to its service coordinator, who shall document it, and the lead agency shall determine whether the fees shall be reduced, forgiven, or suspended within 10 business days after the family's request.

(g) To ensure that early intervention funds are used as the payor of last resort for early intervention services, the lead agency shall determine at the point of early intervention intake, and again at any periodic review of eligibility thereafter or upon a change in family circumstances, whether the family is eligible for or enrolled in any program for which payment is made directly or through public or private insurance for any or all of the early intervention services made available under this Act. The lead agency shall establish procedures to ensure that payments are made either directly from these public and private sources instead of from State or federal early intervention funds, or as reimbursement for payments previously made from State or federal early intervention funds.

(Source: P.A. 98-41, eff. 6-28-13.)