SB1350 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 10902 DRJ 31188 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB1350

Introduced 2/9/2007, by Sen. Carol Ronen

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

305 ILCS 5/5-4.2

from Ch. 23, par. 5-4.2

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that under the Medicaid program, beginning July 1, 2007, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not reimburse for any transportation by medi-car or service car unless the provider of the transportation has certified that the driver has completed a safety training program approved by the Department to protect both the patient and the driver. Provides that the Department may by rule provide for an initial 6-month transition program to get all providers and drivers trained by January 1, 2008, or within 3 months of hiring. Provides that the training program may include a requirement for re-training every 3 years. Effective immediately.

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 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by changing Section 5-4.2 as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/5-4.2) (from Ch. 23, par. 5-4.2)

Sec. 5-4.2. Ambulance services payments. For ambulance services provided to a recipient of aid under this Article on or after January 1, 1993, the Illinois Department shall reimburse ambulance service providers at rates calculated in accordance with this Section. It is the intent of the General Assembly to provide adequate reimbursement for ambulance services so as to ensure adequate access to services for recipients of aid under this Article and to provide appropriate incentives to ambulance service providers to provide services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Thus, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Illinois Department implement a reimbursement system for ambulance services that, to the extent practicable and subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose, is consistent with the payment principles of Medicare. To ensure uniformity between the payment principles of Medicare and Medicaid, the Illinois Department shall follow, to the extent necessary and practicable and subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose, the statutes, laws, regulations, policies, procedures, principles, definitions, guidelines, and manuals used to determine the amounts paid to ambulance service providers under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (Medicare).

For ambulance services provided to a recipient of aid under this Article on or after January 1, 1996, the Illinois Department shall reimburse ambulance service providers based upon the actual distance traveled if a natural disaster, weather conditions, road repairs, or traffic congestion necessitates the use of a route other than the most direct route.

For purposes of this Section, "ambulance services" includes medical transportation services provided by means of an ambulance, medi-car, service car, or taxi.

This Section does not prohibit separate billing by ambulance service providers for oxygen furnished while providing advanced life support services.

Beginning July 1, 2007, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not reimburse for any transportation by medi-car or service car unless the provider of the transportation has certified that the driver has completed a safety training program approved by the Department to protect both the patient and the driver. The Department may by rule provide for an initial 6-month transition program to get all providers and drivers trained by January 1, 2008, or within 3 months of hiring. The training program may include a requirement for re-training every 3 years.

(Source: P.A. 88-104; 89-43, eff. 1-1-96.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.