SB2384 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 16996 KTG 22416 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2384

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Laura Fine

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the medical assistance program shall cover community-based pediatric palliative care from a trained interdisciplinary team. Amends the Pediatric Palliative Care Act. Repeals a provision that made the Act inoperative on and after July 1, 2012. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop a pediatric palliative care program (rather than a pediatric palliative care pilot program) under which a qualifying child may receive community-based pediatric palliative care from a trained interdisciplinary team and may also choose to continue to pursue aggressive curative or disease-directed treatments for a serious (rather than a potentially life-limiting) illness under the benefits available under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Defines a qualifying child to be a person under the age of 19 (rather than 18) who is enrolled in the medical assistance program and suffers from a serious illness (rather than a potentially life-limiting medical condition). Contains provisions concerning a State Plan amendment; prohibited Department rules; pediatric interdisciplinary teams; reimbursable services offered under the pediatric palliative care program; standards for and technical assistance to managed care organizations; reporting requirements; criteria a case manager must meet for demonstrated expertise in pediatric palliative care; and other matters.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning public aid.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by changing Section 5-5 as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/5-5) (from Ch. 23, par. 5-5)

Sec. 5-5. Medical services. The Illinois Department, by rule, shall determine the quantity and quality of and the rate of reimbursement for the medical assistance for which payment will be authorized, and the medical services to be provided, which may include all or part of the following: (1) inpatient hospital services; (2) outpatient hospital services; (3) other laboratory and X-ray services; (4) skilled nursing home services; (5) physicians' services whether furnished in the office, the patient's home, a hospital, a skilled nursing home, or elsewhere; (6) medical care, or any other type of remedial care furnished by licensed practitioners; (7) home health care services; (8) private duty nursing service; (9) clinic services; (10) dental services, including prevention and treatment of periodontal disease and dental caries disease for pregnant women, provided by an individual licensed to practice dentistry or dental surgery; for purposes of this item (10), "dental services" means diagnostic, preventive, or corrective procedures provided by or under the supervision of a dentist in the practice of his or her profession; (11) physical therapy and related services; (12) prescribed drugs, dentures, and prosthetic devices; and eyeglasses prescribed by a physician skilled in the diseases of the eye, or by an optometrist, whichever the person may select; (13) other diagnostic, screening, preventive, and rehabilitative services, including to ensure that the individual's need for intervention or treatment of mental disorders or substance use disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders is determined using a uniform screening, assessment, and evaluation process inclusive of criteria, for children and adults; for purposes of this item (13), a uniform screening, assessment, and evaluation process refers to a process that includes an appropriate evaluation and, as warranted, a referral; "uniform" does not mean the use of a singular instrument, tool, or process that all must utilize; (14) transportation and such other expenses as may be necessary; (15) medical treatment of sexual assault survivors, as defined in Section 1a of the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act, for injuries sustained as a result of the sexual assault, including examinations and laboratory tests to discover evidence which may be used in criminal proceedings arising from the sexual assault; (16) the diagnosis and treatment of sickle cell anemia; and (17) any other medical care, and any other type of remedial care recognized under the laws of this State. The term "any other type of remedial care" shall include nursing care and nursing home service for persons who rely on treatment by spiritual means alone through prayer for healing.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, a comprehensive tobacco use cessation program that includes purchasing prescription drugs or prescription medical devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration shall be covered under the medical assistance program under this Article for persons who are otherwise eligible for assistance under this Article.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, reproductive health care that is otherwise legal in Illinois shall be covered under the medical assistance program for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance under this Article.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the Illinois Department may not require, as a condition of payment for any laboratory test authorized under this Article, that a physician's handwritten signature appear on the laboratory test order form. The Illinois Department may, however, impose other appropriate requirements regarding laboratory test order documentation.

Upon receipt of federal approval of an amendment to the Illinois Title XIX State Plan for this purpose, the Department shall authorize the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to procure a vendor or vendors to manufacture eyeglasses for individuals enrolled in a school within the CPS system. CPS shall ensure that its vendor or vendors are enrolled as providers in the medical assistance program and in any capitated Medicaid managed care entity (MCE) serving individuals enrolled in a school within the CPS system. Under any contract procured under this provision, the vendor or vendors must serve only individuals enrolled in a school within the CPS system. Claims for services provided by CPS's vendor or vendors to recipients of benefits in the medical assistance program under this Code, the Children's Health Insurance Program, or the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Program shall be submitted to the Department or the MCE in which the individual is enrolled for payment and shall be reimbursed at the Department's or the MCE's established rates or rate methodologies for eyeglasses.

On and after July 1, 2012, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may provide the following services to persons eligible for assistance under this Article who are participating in education, training or employment programs operated by the Department of Human Services as successor to the Department of Public Aid:

(1) dental services provided by or under the supervision of a dentist; and

(2) eyeglasses prescribed by a physician skilled in the diseases of the eye, or by an optometrist, whichever the person may select.

On and after July 1, 2018, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide dental services to any adult who is otherwise eligible for assistance under the medical assistance program. As used in this paragraph, "dental services" means diagnostic, preventative, restorative, or corrective procedures, including procedures and services for the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease and dental caries disease, provided by an individual who is licensed to practice dentistry or dental surgery or who is under the supervision of a dentist in the practice of his or her profession.

On and after July 1, 2018, targeted dental services, as set forth in Exhibit D of the Consent Decree entered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in the matter of Memisovski v. Maram, Case No. 92 C 1982, that are provided to adults under the medical assistance program shall be established at no less than the rates set forth in the "New Rate" column in Exhibit D of the Consent Decree for targeted dental services that are provided to persons under the age of 18 under the medical assistance program.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code and subject to federal approval, the Department may adopt rules to allow a dentist who is volunteering his or her service at no cost to render dental services through an enrolled not-for-profit health clinic without the dentist personally enrolling as a participating provider in the medical assistance program. A not-for-profit health clinic shall include a public health clinic or Federally Qualified Health Center or other enrolled provider, as determined by the Department, through which dental services covered under this Section are performed. The Department shall establish a process for payment of claims for reimbursement for covered dental services rendered under this provision.

The Illinois Department, by rule, may distinguish and classify the medical services to be provided only in accordance with the classes of persons designated in Section 5-2.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services must provide coverage and reimbursement for amino acid-based elemental formulas, regardless of delivery method, for the diagnosis and treatment of (i) eosinophilic disorders and (ii) short bowel syndrome when the prescribing physician has issued a written order stating that the amino acid-based elemental formula is medically necessary.

The Illinois Department shall authorize the provision of, and shall authorize payment for, screening by low-dose mammography for the presence of occult breast cancer for women 35 years of age or older who are eligible for medical assistance under this Article, as follows:

(A) A baseline mammogram for women 35 to 39 years of age.

(B) An annual mammogram for women 40 years of age or older.

(C) A mammogram at the age and intervals considered medically necessary by the woman's health care provider for women under 40 years of age and having a family history of breast cancer, prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing, or other risk factors.

(D) A comprehensive ultrasound screening and MRI of an entire breast or breasts if a mammogram demonstrates heterogeneous or dense breast tissue or when medically necessary as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches.

(E) A screening MRI when medically necessary, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches.

(F) A diagnostic mammogram when medically necessary, as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant.

The Department shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided under this paragraph; except that this sentence does not apply to coverage of diagnostic mammograms to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to Section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 223).

All screenings shall include a physical breast exam, instruction on self-examination and information regarding the frequency of self-examination and its value as a preventative tool.

For purposes of this Section:

"Diagnostic mammogram" means a mammogram obtained using diagnostic mammography.

"Diagnostic mammography" means a method of screening that is designed to evaluate an abnormality in a breast, including an abnormality seen or suspected on a screening mammogram or a subjective or objective abnormality otherwise detected in the breast.

"Low-dose mammography" means the x-ray examination of the breast using equipment dedicated specifically for mammography, including the x-ray tube, filter, compression device, and image receptor, with an average radiation exposure delivery of less than one rad per breast for 2 views of an average size breast. The term also includes digital mammography and includes breast tomosynthesis.

"Breast tomosynthesis" means a radiologic procedure that involves the acquisition of projection images over the stationary breast to produce cross-sectional digital three-dimensional images of the breast.

If, at any time, the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or its successor agency, promulgates rules or regulations to be published in the Federal Register or publishes a comment in the Federal Register or issues an opinion, guidance, or other action that would require the State, pursuant to any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), including, but not limited to, 42 U.S.C. 18031(d)(3)(B) or any successor provision, to defray the cost of any coverage for breast tomosynthesis outlined in this paragraph, then the requirement that an insurer cover breast tomosynthesis is inoperative other than any such coverage authorized under Section 1902 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1396a, and the State shall not assume any obligation for the cost of coverage for breast tomosynthesis set forth in this paragraph.

On and after January 1, 2016, the Department shall ensure that all networks of care for adult clients of the Department include access to at least one breast imaging Center of Imaging Excellence as certified by the American College of Radiology.

On and after January 1, 2012, providers participating in a quality improvement program approved by the Department shall be reimbursed for screening and diagnostic mammography at the same rate as the Medicare program's rates, including the increased reimbursement for digital mammography.

The Department shall convene an expert panel including representatives of hospitals, free-standing mammography facilities, and doctors, including radiologists, to establish quality standards for mammography.

On and after January 1, 2017, providers participating in a breast cancer treatment quality improvement program approved by the Department shall be reimbursed for breast cancer treatment at a rate that is no lower than 95% of the Medicare program's rates for the data elements included in the breast cancer treatment quality program.

The Department shall convene an expert panel, including representatives of hospitals, free-standing breast cancer treatment centers, breast cancer quality organizations, and doctors, including breast surgeons, reconstructive breast surgeons, oncologists, and primary care providers to establish quality standards for breast cancer treatment.

Subject to federal approval, the Department shall establish a rate methodology for mammography at federally qualified health centers and other encounter-rate clinics. These clinics or centers may also collaborate with other hospital-based mammography facilities. By January 1, 2016, the Department shall report to the General Assembly on the status of the provision set forth in this paragraph.

The Department shall establish a methodology to remind women who are age-appropriate for screening mammography, but who have not received a mammogram within the previous 18 months, of the importance and benefit of screening mammography. The Department shall work with experts in breast cancer outreach and patient navigation to optimize these reminders and shall establish a methodology for evaluating their effectiveness and modifying the methodology based on the evaluation.

The Department shall establish a performance goal for primary care providers with respect to their female patients over age 40 receiving an annual mammogram. This performance goal shall be used to provide additional reimbursement in the form of a quality performance bonus to primary care providers who meet that goal.

The Department shall devise a means of case-managing or patient navigation for beneficiaries diagnosed with breast cancer. This program shall initially operate as a pilot program in areas of the State with the highest incidence of mortality related to breast cancer. At least one pilot program site shall be in the metropolitan Chicago area and at least one site shall be outside the metropolitan Chicago area. On or after July 1, 2016, the pilot program shall be expanded to include one site in western Illinois, one site in southern Illinois, one site in central Illinois, and 4 sites within metropolitan Chicago. An evaluation of the pilot program shall be carried out measuring health outcomes and cost of care for those served by the pilot program compared to similarly situated patients who are not served by the pilot program.

The Department shall require all networks of care to develop a means either internally or by contract with experts in navigation and community outreach to navigate cancer patients to comprehensive care in a timely fashion. The Department shall require all networks of care to include access for patients diagnosed with cancer to at least one academic commission on cancer-accredited cancer program as an in-network covered benefit.

Any medical or health care provider shall immediately recommend, to any pregnant woman who is being provided prenatal services and is suspected of having a substance use disorder as defined in the Substance Use Disorder Act, referral to a local substance use disorder treatment program licensed by the Department of Human Services or to a licensed hospital which provides substance abuse treatment services. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall assure coverage for the cost of treatment of the drug abuse or addiction for pregnant recipients in accordance with the Illinois Medicaid Program in conjunction with the Department of Human Services.

All medical providers providing medical assistance to pregnant women under this Code shall receive information from the Department on the availability of services under any program providing case management services for addicted women, including information on appropriate referrals for other social services that may be needed by addicted women in addition to treatment for addiction.

The Illinois Department, in cooperation with the Departments of Human Services (as successor to the Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse) and Public Health, through a public awareness campaign, may provide information concerning treatment for alcoholism and drug abuse and addiction, prenatal health care, and other pertinent programs directed at reducing the number of drug-affected infants born to recipients of medical assistance.

Neither the Department of Healthcare and Family Services nor the Department of Human Services shall sanction the recipient solely on the basis of her substance abuse.

The Illinois Department shall establish such regulations governing the dispensing of health services under this Article as it shall deem appropriate. The Department should seek the advice of formal professional advisory committees appointed by the Director of the Illinois Department for the purpose of providing regular advice on policy and administrative matters, information dissemination and educational activities for medical and health care providers, and consistency in procedures to the Illinois Department.

The Illinois Department may develop and contract with Partnerships of medical providers to arrange medical services for persons eligible under Section 5-2 of this Code. Implementation of this Section may be by demonstration projects in certain geographic areas. The Partnership shall be represented by a sponsor organization. The Department, by rule, shall develop qualifications for sponsors of Partnerships. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require that the sponsor organization be a medical organization.

The sponsor must negotiate formal written contracts with medical providers for physician services, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, home health services, treatment for alcoholism and substance abuse, and other services determined necessary by the Illinois Department by rule for delivery by Partnerships. Physician services must include prenatal and obstetrical care. The Illinois Department shall reimburse medical services delivered by Partnership providers to clients in target areas according to provisions of this Article and the Illinois Health Finance Reform Act, except that:

(1) Physicians participating in a Partnership and providing certain services, which shall be determined by the Illinois Department, to persons in areas covered by the Partnership may receive an additional surcharge for such services.

(2) The Department may elect to consider and negotiate financial incentives to encourage the development of Partnerships and the efficient delivery of medical care.

(3) Persons receiving medical services through Partnerships may receive medical and case management services above the level usually offered through the medical assistance program.

Medical providers shall be required to meet certain qualifications to participate in Partnerships to ensure the delivery of high quality medical services. These qualifications shall be determined by rule of the Illinois Department and may be higher than qualifications for participation in the medical assistance program. Partnership sponsors may prescribe reasonable additional qualifications for participation by medical providers, only with the prior written approval of the Illinois Department.

Nothing in this Section shall limit the free choice of practitioners, hospitals, and other providers of medical services by clients. In order to ensure patient freedom of choice, the Illinois Department shall immediately promulgate all rules and take all other necessary actions so that provided services may be accessed from therapeutically certified optometrists to the full extent of the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 without discriminating between service providers.

The Department shall apply for a waiver from the United States Health Care Financing Administration to allow for the implementation of Partnerships under this Section.

The Illinois Department shall require health care providers to maintain records that document the medical care and services provided to recipients of Medical Assistance under this Article. Such records must be retained for a period of not less than 6 years from the date of service or as provided by applicable State law, whichever period is longer, except that if an audit is initiated within the required retention period then the records must be retained until the audit is completed and every exception is resolved. The Illinois Department shall require health care providers to make available, when authorized by the patient, in writing, the medical records in a timely fashion to other health care providers who are treating or serving persons eligible for Medical Assistance under this Article. All dispensers of medical services shall be required to maintain and retain business and professional records sufficient to fully and accurately document the nature, scope, details and receipt of the health care provided to persons eligible for medical assistance under this Code, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Illinois Department. The rules and regulations shall require that proof of the receipt of prescription drugs, dentures, prosthetic devices and eyeglasses by eligible persons under this Section accompany each claim for reimbursement submitted by the dispenser of such medical services. No such claims for reimbursement shall be approved for payment by the Illinois Department without such proof of receipt, unless the Illinois Department shall have put into effect and shall be operating a system of post-payment audit and review which shall, on a sampling basis, be deemed adequate by the Illinois Department to assure that such drugs, dentures, prosthetic devices and eyeglasses for which payment is being made are actually being received by eligible recipients. Within 90 days after September 16, 1984 (the effective date of Public Act 83-1439), the Illinois Department shall establish a current list of acquisition costs for all prosthetic devices and any other items recognized as medical equipment and supplies reimbursable under this Article and shall update such list on a quarterly basis, except that the acquisition costs of all prescription drugs shall be updated no less frequently than every 30 days as required by Section 5-5.12.

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Illinois Department shall, within 365 days after July 22, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-104), establish procedures to permit skilled care facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act to submit monthly billing claims for reimbursement purposes. Following development of these procedures, the Department shall, by July 1, 2016, test the viability of the new system and implement any necessary operational or structural changes to its information technology platforms in order to allow for the direct acceptance and payment of nursing home claims.

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Illinois Department shall, within 365 days after August 15, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-963), establish procedures to permit ID/DD facilities licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act and MC/DD facilities licensed under the MC/DD Act to submit monthly billing claims for reimbursement purposes. Following development of these procedures, the Department shall have an additional 365 days to test the viability of the new system and to ensure that any necessary operational or structural changes to its information technology platforms are implemented.

The Illinois Department shall require all dispensers of medical services, other than an individual practitioner or group of practitioners, desiring to participate in the Medical Assistance program established under this Article to disclose all financial, beneficial, ownership, equity, surety or other interests in any and all firms, corporations, partnerships, associations, business enterprises, joint ventures, agencies, institutions or other legal entities providing any form of health care services in this State under this Article.

The Illinois Department may require that all dispensers of medical services desiring to participate in the medical assistance program established under this Article disclose, under such terms and conditions as the Illinois Department may by rule establish, all inquiries from clients and attorneys regarding medical bills paid by the Illinois Department, which inquiries could indicate potential existence of claims or liens for the Illinois Department.

Enrollment of a vendor shall be subject to a provisional period and shall be conditional for one year. During the period of conditional enrollment, the Department may terminate the vendor's eligibility to participate in, or may disenroll the vendor from, the medical assistance program without cause. Unless otherwise specified, such termination of eligibility or disenrollment is not subject to the Department's hearing process. However, a disenrolled vendor may reapply without penalty.

The Department has the discretion to limit the conditional enrollment period for vendors based upon category of risk of the vendor.

Prior to enrollment and during the conditional enrollment period in the medical assistance program, all vendors shall be subject to enhanced oversight, screening, and review based on the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse that is posed by the category of risk of the vendor. The Illinois Department shall establish the procedures for oversight, screening, and review, which may include, but need not be limited to: criminal and financial background checks; fingerprinting; license, certification, and authorization verifications; unscheduled or unannounced site visits; database checks; prepayment audit reviews; audits; payment caps; payment suspensions; and other screening as required by federal or State law.

The Department shall define or specify the following: (i) by provider notice, the "category of risk of the vendor" for each type of vendor, which shall take into account the level of screening applicable to a particular category of vendor under federal law and regulations; (ii) by rule or provider notice, the maximum length of the conditional enrollment period for each category of risk of the vendor; and (iii) by rule, the hearing rights, if any, afforded to a vendor in each category of risk of the vendor that is terminated or disenrolled during the conditional enrollment period.

To be eligible for payment consideration, a vendor's payment claim or bill, either as an initial claim or as a resubmitted claim following prior rejection, must be received by the Illinois Department, or its fiscal intermediary, no later than 180 days after the latest date on the claim on which medical goods or services were provided, with the following exceptions:

(1) In the case of a provider whose enrollment is in process by the Illinois Department, the 180-day period shall not begin until the date on the written notice from the Illinois Department that the provider enrollment is complete.

(2) In the case of errors attributable to the Illinois Department or any of its claims processing intermediaries which result in an inability to receive, process, or adjudicate a claim, the 180-day period shall not begin until the provider has been notified of the error.

(3) In the case of a provider for whom the Illinois Department initiates the monthly billing process.

(4) In the case of a provider operated by a unit of local government with a population exceeding 3,000,000 when local government funds finance federal participation for claims payments.

For claims for services rendered during a period for which a recipient received retroactive eligibility, claims must be filed within 180 days after the Department determines the applicant is eligible. For claims for which the Illinois Department is not the primary payer, claims must be submitted to the Illinois Department within 180 days after the final adjudication by the primary payer.

In the case of long term care facilities, within 45 calendar days of receipt by the facility of required prescreening information, new admissions with associated admission documents shall be submitted through the Medical Electronic Data Interchange (MEDI) or the Recipient Eligibility Verification (REV) System or shall be submitted directly to the Department of Human Services using required admission forms. Effective September 1, 2014, admission documents, including all prescreening information, must be submitted through MEDI or REV. Confirmation numbers assigned to an accepted transaction shall be retained by a facility to verify timely submittal. Once an admission transaction has been completed, all resubmitted claims following prior rejection are subject to receipt no later than 180 days after the admission transaction has been completed.

Claims that are not submitted and received in compliance with the foregoing requirements shall not be eligible for payment under the medical assistance program, and the State shall have no liability for payment of those claims.

To the extent consistent with applicable information and privacy, security, and disclosure laws, State and federal agencies and departments shall provide the Illinois Department access to confidential and other information and data necessary to perform eligibility and payment verifications and other Illinois Department functions. This includes, but is not limited to: information pertaining to licensure; certification; earnings; immigration status; citizenship; wage reporting; unearned and earned income; pension income; employment; supplemental security income; social security numbers; National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers; the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB); program and agency exclusions; taxpayer identification numbers; tax delinquency; corporate information; and death records.

The Illinois Department shall enter into agreements with State agencies and departments, and is authorized to enter into agreements with federal agencies and departments, under which such agencies and departments shall share data necessary for medical assistance program integrity functions and oversight. The Illinois Department shall develop, in cooperation with other State departments and agencies, and in compliance with applicable federal laws and regulations, appropriate and effective methods to share such data. At a minimum, and to the extent necessary to provide data sharing, the Illinois Department shall enter into agreements with State agencies and departments, and is authorized to enter into agreements with federal agencies and departments, including, but not limited to: the Secretary of State; the Department of Revenue; the Department of Public Health; the Department of Human Services; and the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Beginning in fiscal year 2013, the Illinois Department shall set forth a request for information to identify the benefits of a pre-payment, post-adjudication, and post-edit claims system with the goals of streamlining claims processing and provider reimbursement, reducing the number of pending or rejected claims, and helping to ensure a more transparent adjudication process through the utilization of: (i) provider data verification and provider screening technology; and (ii) clinical code editing; and (iii) pre-pay, pre- or post-adjudicated predictive modeling with an integrated case management system with link analysis. Such a request for information shall not be considered as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Illinois Department to take any action or acquire any products or services.

The Illinois Department shall establish policies, procedures, standards and criteria by rule for the acquisition, repair and replacement of orthotic and prosthetic devices and durable medical equipment. Such rules shall provide, but not be limited to, the following services: (1) immediate repair or replacement of such devices by recipients; and (2) rental, lease, purchase or lease-purchase of durable medical equipment in a cost-effective manner, taking into consideration the recipient's medical prognosis, the extent of the recipient's needs, and the requirements and costs for maintaining such equipment. Subject to prior approval, such rules shall enable a recipient to temporarily acquire and use alternative or substitute devices or equipment pending repairs or replacements of any device or equipment previously authorized for such recipient by the Department. Notwithstanding any provision of Section 5-5f to the contrary, the Department may, by rule, exempt certain replacement wheelchair parts from prior approval and, for wheelchairs, wheelchair parts, wheelchair accessories, and related seating and positioning items, determine the wholesale price by methods other than actual acquisition costs.

The Department shall require, by rule, all providers of durable medical equipment to be accredited by an accreditation organization approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and recognized by the Department in order to bill the Department for providing durable medical equipment to recipients. No later than 15 months after the effective date of the rule adopted pursuant to this paragraph, all providers must meet the accreditation requirement.

In order to promote environmental responsibility, meet the needs of recipients and enrollees, and achieve significant cost savings, the Department, or a managed care organization under contract with the Department, may provide recipients or managed care enrollees who have a prescription or Certificate of Medical Necessity access to refurbished durable medical equipment under this Section (excluding prosthetic and orthotic devices as defined in the Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics Practice Act and complex rehabilitation technology products and associated services) through the State's assistive technology program's reutilization program, using staff with the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) Certification if the refurbished durable medical equipment: (i) is available; (ii) is less expensive, including shipping costs, than new durable medical equipment of the same type; (iii) is able to withstand at least 3 years of use; (iv) is cleaned, disinfected, sterilized, and safe in accordance with federal Food and Drug Administration regulations and guidance governing the reprocessing of medical devices in health care settings; and (v) equally meets the needs of the recipient or enrollee. The reutilization program shall confirm that the recipient or enrollee is not already in receipt of same or similar equipment from another service provider, and that the refurbished durable medical equipment equally meets the needs of the recipient or enrollee. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit recipient or enrollee choice to obtain new durable medical equipment or place any additional prior authorization conditions on enrollees of managed care organizations.

The Department shall execute, relative to the nursing home prescreening project, written inter-agency agreements with the Department of Human Services and the Department on Aging, to effect the following: (i) intake procedures and common eligibility criteria for those persons who are receiving non-institutional services; and (ii) the establishment and development of non-institutional services in areas of the State where they are not currently available or are undeveloped; and (iii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, subject to federal approval, on and after July 1, 2012, an increase in the determination of need (DON) scores from 29 to 37 for applicants for institutional and home and community-based long term care; if and only if federal approval is not granted, the Department may, in conjunction with other affected agencies, implement utilization controls or changes in benefit packages to effectuate a similar savings amount for this population; and (iv) no later than July 1, 2013, minimum level of care eligibility criteria for institutional and home and community-based long term care; and (v) no later than October 1, 2013, establish procedures to permit long term care providers access to eligibility scores for individuals with an admission date who are seeking or receiving services from the long term care provider. In order to select the minimum level of care eligibility criteria, the Governor shall establish a workgroup that includes affected agency representatives and stakeholders representing the institutional and home and community-based long term care interests. This Section shall not restrict the Department from implementing lower level of care eligibility criteria for community-based services in circumstances where federal approval has been granted.

The Illinois Department shall develop and operate, in cooperation with other State Departments and agencies and in compliance with applicable federal laws and regulations, appropriate and effective systems of health care evaluation and programs for monitoring of utilization of health care services and facilities, as it affects persons eligible for medical assistance under this Code.

The Illinois Department shall report annually to the General Assembly, no later than the second Friday in April of 1979 and each year thereafter, in regard to:

(a) actual statistics and trends in utilization of medical services by public aid recipients;

(b) actual statistics and trends in the provision of the various medical services by medical vendors;

(c) current rate structures and proposed changes in those rate structures for the various medical vendors; and

(d) efforts at utilization review and control by the Illinois Department.

The period covered by each report shall be the 3 years ending on the June 30 prior to the report. The report shall include suggested legislation for consideration by the General Assembly. The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as is required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act.

Rulemaking authority to implement Public Act 95-1045, if any, is conditioned on the rules being adopted in accordance with all provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and all rules and procedures of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules; any purported rule not so adopted, for whatever reason, is unauthorized.

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.

Because kidney transplantation can be an appropriate, cost-effective alternative to renal dialysis when medically necessary and notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1-11 of this Code, beginning October 1, 2014, the Department shall cover kidney transplantation for noncitizens with end-stage renal disease who are not eligible for comprehensive medical benefits, who meet the residency requirements of Section 5-3 of this Code, and who would otherwise meet the financial requirements of the appropriate class of eligible persons under Section 5-2 of this Code. To qualify for coverage of kidney transplantation, such person must be receiving emergency renal dialysis services covered by the Department. Providers under this Section shall be prior approved and certified by the Department to perform kidney transplantation and the services under this Section shall be limited to services associated with kidney transplantation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, on or after July 1, 2015, all FDA approved forms of medication assisted treatment prescribed for the treatment of alcohol dependence or treatment of opioid dependence shall be covered under both fee for service and managed care medical assistance programs for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance under this Article and shall not be subject to any (1) utilization control, other than those established under the American Society of Addiction Medicine patient placement criteria, (2) prior authorization mandate, or (3) lifetime restriction limit mandate.

On or after July 1, 2015, opioid antagonists prescribed for the treatment of an opioid overdose, including the medication product, administration devices, and any pharmacy fees related to the dispensing and administration of the opioid antagonist, shall be covered under the medical assistance program for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance under this Article. As used in this Section, "opioid antagonist" means a drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or inhibits the effect of opioids acting on those receptors, including, but not limited to, naloxone hydrochloride or any other similarly acting drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Upon federal approval, the Department shall provide coverage and reimbursement for all drugs that are approved for marketing by the federal Food and Drug Administration and that are recommended by the federal Public Health Service or the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for pre-exposure prophylaxis and related pre-exposure prophylaxis services, including, but not limited to, HIV and sexually transmitted infection screening, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, medical monitoring, assorted labs, and counseling to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection among individuals who are not infected with HIV but who are at high risk of HIV infection.

A federally qualified health center, as defined in Section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the federal Social Security Act, shall be reimbursed by the Department in accordance with the federally qualified health center's encounter rate for services provided to medical assistance recipients that are performed by a dental hygienist, as defined under the Illinois Dental Practice Act, working under the general supervision of a dentist and employed by a federally qualified health center.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, community-based pediatric palliative care from a trained interdisciplinary team shall be covered under the medical assistance program as provided in Section 15 of the Pediatric Palliative Care Act.

(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 100-395, eff. 1-1-18; 100-449, eff. 1-1-18; 100-538, eff. 1-1-18; 100-587, eff. 6-4-18; 100-759, eff. 1-1-19; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 100-974, eff. 8-19-18; 100-1009, eff. 1-1-19; 100-1018, eff. 1-1-19; 100-1148, eff. 12-10-18; 101-209, eff. 8-5-19; 101-580, eff. 1-1-20; revised 9-18-19.)

Section 5. The Pediatric Palliative Care Act is amended by changing Sections 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 and by adding Section 37 as follows:

(305 ILCS 60/5)

Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds as follows:

(1) Each year, approximately 1,500 1,185 Illinois children are diagnosed with a serious illness potentially life-limiting illness.

(2) There are many barriers to the provision of pediatric palliative services, the most significant of which include the following: (i) challenges in predicting life expectancy; (ii) the reluctance of families and professionals to acknowledge a child's incurable condition; and (iii) the lack of an appropriate, pediatric-focused reimbursement structure leading to insufficient community-based resources.

(3) Community-based pediatric palliative services have been shown to keep children out of the hospital by managing many symptoms in the home setting, thereby improving childhood quality of life while maintaining budget neutrality. It is tremendously difficult for physicians to prognosticate pediatric life expectancy due to the resiliency of children. In addition, parents are rarely prepared to cease curative efforts in order to receive hospice or palliative care. Community-based pediatric palliative services, however, keep children out of the hospital by managing many symptoms in the home setting, thereby improving childhood quality of life while maintaining budget neutrality.

(4) Pediatric palliative programming can, and should, be administered in a cost neutral fashion. Community-based pediatric palliative care allows for children and families to receive pain and symptom management and psychosocial support in the comfort of the home setting, thereby avoiding excess spending for emergency room visits and certain hospitals. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's pediatric task force reported during 2001 that the average cost per child per year, cared for primarily at home, receiving comprehensive palliative and life prolonging services concurrently, is $16,177, significantly less than the $19,000 to $48,000 per child per year when palliative programs are not utilized.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/10)

Sec. 10. Definitions Definition. In this Act: ,

"Department" means the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

"Palliative care" means care focused on expert assessment and management of pain and other symptoms, assessment and support of caregiver needs, and coordination of care. Palliative care attends to the physical, functional, psychological, practical, and spiritual consequences of a serious illness. It is a person-centered and family-centered approach to care, providing people living with serious illness relief from the symptoms and stress of an illness. Through early integration into the care plan for the seriously ill, palliative care improves quality of life for the patient and the family. Palliative care can be offered in all care settings and at any stage in a serious illness through collaboration of many types of care providers.

"Serious illness" means a health condition that carries a high risk of mortality and either negatively impacts a person's daily function or quality of life or excessively strains their caregiver.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/15)

Sec. 15. Pediatric palliative care pilot program. The Department shall develop a pediatric palliative care pilot program, and the medical assistance program established under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code shall cover under which a qualifying child as defined in Section 25 may receive community-based pediatric palliative care from a trained interdisciplinary team, as an added benefit under which a qualifying child, as defined in Section 25, may also choose to continue while continuing to pursue aggressive curative or disease-directed treatments for a serious potentially life-limiting illness under the benefits available under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/20)

Sec. 20. Federal waiver or State Plan amendment. If applicable, the The Department shall submit the necessary application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver or State Plan amendment to implement the pilot program described in this Act. If the application is in the form of a State Plan amendment, the State Plan amendment shall be filed prior to December 31, 2010. If the Department does not submit a State Plan amendment prior to December 31, 2010, the pilot program shall be created utilizing a waiver authority. The waiver request shall be included in any appropriate waiver application renewal submitted prior to December 31, 2011, or shall be submitted as an independent 1915(c) Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver within that same time period. After federal approval is secured, the Department shall implement the waiver or State Plan amendment within 12 months of the date of approval. The Department shall not draft any rules in contravention of this timetable for program development and implementation. By federal requirement, the application for a 1915 (c) Medicaid waiver program must demonstrate cost neutrality per the formula laid out by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Department shall not draft any rules in contravention of this timetable for pilot program development and implementation. This pilot program shall be implemented only to the extent that federal financial participation is available.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/25)

Sec. 25. Qualifying child.

(a) For the purposes of this Act, a qualifying child is a person under 19 18 years of age who is enrolled in the medical assistance program under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code and suffers from a serious illness potentially life-limiting medical condition, as defined in subsection (b). A child who is enrolled in the pilot program prior to the age 19 18 may continue to receive services under the pilot program until the day before his or her twenty-first birthday.

(b) The Department, in consultation with interested stakeholders, shall determine the serious illnesses potentially life-limiting medical conditions that render a pediatric medical assistance recipient eligible for the pilot program under this Act. Such serious illnesses medical conditions shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) Cancer (i) for which there is no known effective treatment, (ii) that does not respond to conventional protocol, (iii) that has progressed to an advanced stage, or (iv) where toxicities or other complications limit prohibit the administration of curative therapies.

(2) End-stage lung disease, including but not limited to cystic fibrosis, that results in dependence on technology, such as mechanical ventilation.

(3) Severe neurological conditions, including, but not limited to, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, acute brain injury, brain infections and inflammatory diseases, or irreversible severe alteration of mental status, with one of the following co-morbidities: (i) intractable seizures or (ii) brainstem failure to control breathing or other automatic physiologic functions.

(4) Degenerative neuromuscular conditions, including, but not limited to, spinal muscular atrophy, Type I or II, or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, requiring technological support.

(5) Genetic syndromes, such as , but not limited to, Trisomy 13 or 18, where the child has substantial neurocognitive disability (i) it is more likely than not that the child will not live past 2 years of age or (ii) the child is severely compromised with no expectation of long-term survival.

(6) Congenital or acquired end-stage heart disease, including but not limited to the following: (i) single ventricle disorders, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome; (ii) total anomalous pulmonary venous return, not suitable for curative surgical treatment; and (iii) heart muscle disorders (cardiomyopathies) without adequate medical or surgical treatments available.

(7) End-stage liver disease where (i) transplant is not a viable option or (ii) transplant rejection or failure has occurred.

(8) End-stage kidney failure where (i) transplant is not a viable option or (ii) transplant rejection or failure has occurred.

(9) Metabolic or biochemical disorders, including, but not limited to, mitochondrial disease, leukodystrophies, Tay-Sachs disease, or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome where (i) no suitable therapies exist or (ii) available treatments, including stem cell ("bone marrow") transplant, have failed.

(10) Congenital or acquired diseases of the gastrointestinal system, such as "short bowel syndrome", where (i) transplant is not a viable option or (ii) transplant rejection or failure has occurred.

(11) Congenital skin disorders, including but not limited to epidermolysis bullosa, where no suitable treatment exists.

(12) Any other serious illness that the Department determines to be appropriate.

The definition of a serious illness life-limiting medical condition shall not include a definitive time period due to the difficulty and challenges of prognosticating life expectancy in children.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/30)

Sec. 30. Authorized providers. Providers authorized to deliver services under the pilot waiver program shall include licensed hospice agencies or home health agencies licensed to provide hospice care or entities with demonstrated expertise in pediatric palliative care and will be subject to further criteria developed by the Department, in consultation with interested stakeholders, for provider participation. At a minimum, the participating provider must house a pediatric interdisciplinary team that includes: (i) a physician, acting as the program medical director, who is board certified or board eligible in pediatrics or hospice and palliative medicine; (ii) a registered nurse; and (iii) a licensed social worker with a background in pediatric care a pediatric medical director, a nurse, and a licensed social worker. All members of the pediatric interdisciplinary team must meet criteria the Department may establish by rule, including demonstrated expertise in pediatric palliative care. submit to the Department proof of pediatric End-of-Life Nursing Education Curriculum (Pediatric ELNEC Training) or an equivalent.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/35)

Sec. 35. Interdisciplinary team; services. The Subject to federal approval for matching funds, the reimbursable services offered under the pilot program shall be provided by an interdisciplinary team, operating under the direction of a pediatric medical director, and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Nursing Pediatric nursing for pain and symptom management.

(2) Expressive therapies (music or and art therapies) for age-appropriate counseling.

(3) Client and family counseling (provided by a licensed social worker, licensed counselor, child life specialist, or non-denominational chaplain or spiritual counselor).

(4) Respite care.

(5) Bereavement services.

(6) Case management.

(7) Any other services that the Department determines to be appropriate.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/37 new)

Sec. 37. Medical assistance program standards for pediatric palliative care services. The Department, in consultation with interested stakeholders, shall establish standards for the provision of pediatric palliative care services under the medical assistance program under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code. The Department shall establish standards for and provide technical assistance to managed care organizations, as defined in Section 5-30.1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code, to ensure the delivery of pediatric palliative care services to eligible recipients of medical assistance.

(305 ILCS 60/40)

Sec. 40. Administration.

(a) The Department shall oversee the administration of the pilot program. The Department, in consultation with interested stakeholders, shall determine the appropriate process for review of referrals and enrollment of qualifying participants.

(b) The Department shall appoint an individual or entity to serve as case manager or an alternative position to assess level-of-care and target-population criteria for the pilot program. The Department shall ensure that the individual or entity meets the criteria for demonstrated expertise in pediatric palliative care that the Department, in consultation with interested stakeholders, may establish by rule receives pediatric End-of-Life Nursing Education Curriculum (Pediatric ELNEC Training) or an equivalent to become familiarized with the unique needs and difficulties facing this population. The process for review of referrals and enrollment of qualifying participants shall not include unnecessary delays and shall reflect the fact that treatment of pain and other distressing symptoms represents an urgent need for children with a serious illness life-limiting medical conditions. The process shall also acknowledge that children with a serious illness life-limiting medical conditions and their families require holistic and seamless care.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/45)

Sec. 45. Report. Period of pilot program. After the program has been in place for 3 years, the Department shall prepare a report for the General Assembly concerning the program's outcomes effectiveness and shall also make recommendations for program improvement, including, but not limited to, the appropriateness of those serious illnesses that render a pediatric medical assistance recipient eligible for the program as defined in subsection (b) of Section 25 and the necessary services needed to ensure high-quality care for children and their families.

(a) The program implemented under this Act shall be considered a pilot program for 3 years following the date of program implementation or, if the pilot program is created utilizing a waiver authority, until the waiver that includes the services provided under the program undergoes the federally mandated renewal process.

(b) During the period of time that the waiver program is considered a pilot program, pediatric palliative care shall be included in the issues reviewed by the Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board. The Board shall make recommendations regarding changes or improvements to the program, including but not limited to advisement on potential expansion of the potentially life-limiting medical conditions as defined in subsection (b) of Section 25.

(c) At the end of the 3-year pilot program, the Department shall prepare a report for the General Assembly concerning the program's outcomes effectiveness and shall also make recommendations for program improvement, including, but not limited to, the appropriateness of the potentially life-limiting medical conditions as defined in subsection (b) of Section 25.

(Source: P.A. 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)

(305 ILCS 60/3 rep.)

Section 10. The Pediatric Palliative Care Act is amended by repealing Section 3.