Public Act 100-0385
 
HB2907 EnrolledLRB100 07143 KTG 21435 b


  
    AN ACT concerning public aid.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended  by 
changing Section 5-5.25 as follows:
 
    (305 ILCS 5/5-5.25)
    Sec. 5-5.25. Access to psychiatric mental health services. 
The General Assembly finds that providing access to psychiatric 
mental health services in a timely manner will improve the 
quality of life for persons suffering from mental illness and 
will contain health care costs by avoiding the need for more 
costly inpatient hospitalization. The Department of Healthcare 
and Family Services shall reimburse psychiatrists and 
federally qualified health centers as defined in
Section 
1905(l)(2)(B) of the federal Social Security Act for mental 
health services provided by psychiatrists, as
authorized by 
Illinois law, to recipients via telepsychiatry. The 
Department, by rule, shall establish: (i) criteria for such 
services to be reimbursed, including appropriate facilities 
and equipment to be used at both sites and requirements for a 
physician or other licensed health care professional to be 
present at the site where the patient is located; however, the 
Department shall not require that a physician or other licensed 
health care professional be physically present in the same room 
as the patient for the entire time during which the patient is 
receiving telepsychiatry services; ,  and (ii) a method to 
reimburse providers for mental health services provided by 
telepsychiatry.

    On and after July 1, 2012, the Department shall reduce any 
rate of reimbursement for services or other payments or alter 
any methodologies authorized by this Code to reduce any rate of 
reimbursement for services or other payments in accordance with 
Section 5-5e. 
(Source: P.A. 97-689, eff. 6-14-12.)