HB5927 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 18052 RPM 33426 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB5927

Introduced 2/10/2010, by Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

215 ILCS 106/20
215 ILCS 170/20

Amends the Children's Health Insurance Program Act and the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act to delete language mandating that if required monthly premiums are not paid, then the child shall be ineligible for re-enrollment for a minimum period of 3 months.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning insurance.

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

Section 5. The Children's Health Insurance Program Act is amended by changing Section 20 as follows:

(215 ILCS 106/20)

Sec. 20. Eligibility.

(a) To be eligible for this Program, a person must be a person who has a child eligible under this Act and who is eligible under a waiver of federal requirements pursuant to an application made pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) of Section 40 of this Act or who is a child who:

(1) is a child who is not eligible for medical assistance;

(2) is a child whose annual household income, as determined by the Department, is above 133% of the federal poverty level and at or below 200% of the federal poverty level;

(3) is a resident of the State of Illinois; and

(4) is a child who is either a United States citizen or included in one of the following categories of non-citizens:

(A) unmarried dependent children of either a United States Veteran honorably discharged or a person on active military duty;

(B) refugees under Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act;

(C) asylees under Section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act;

(D) persons for whom deportation has been withheld under Section 243(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act;

(E) persons granted conditional entry under Section 203(a)(7) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as in effect prior to April 1, 1980;

(F) persons lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act; and

(G) parolees, for at least one year, under Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Those children who are in the categories set forth in subdivisions (4)(F) and (4)(G) of this subsection, who enter the United States on or after August 22, 1996, shall not be eligible for 5 years beginning on the date the child entered the United States.

(b) A child who is determined to be eligible for assistance may remain eligible for 12 months, provided the child maintains his or her residence in the State, has not yet attained 19 years of age, and is not excluded pursuant to subsection (c). A child who has been determined to be eligible for assistance must reapply or otherwise establish eligibility at least annually. An eligible child shall be required, as determined by the Department by rule, to report promptly those changes in income and other circumstances that affect eligibility. The eligibility of a child may be redetermined based on the information reported or may be terminated based on the failure to report or failure to report accurately. A child's responsible relative or caretaker may also be held liable to the Department for any payments made by the Department on such child's behalf that were inappropriate. An applicant shall be provided with notice of these obligations.

(c) A child shall not be eligible for coverage under this Program if:

(1) the premium required pursuant to Section 30 of this Act has not been paid. If the required premiums are not paid the liability of the Program shall be limited to benefits incurred under the Program for the time period for which premiums had been paid. If the required monthly premium is not paid, the child shall be ineligible for re-enrollment for a minimum period of 3 months. Re-enrollment shall be completed prior to the next covered medical visit and the first month's required premium shall be paid in advance of the next covered medical visit. The Department shall promulgate rules regarding grace periods, notice requirements, and hearing procedures pursuant to this subsection;

(2) the child is an inmate of a public institution or a patient in an institution for mental diseases; or

(3) the child is a member of a family that is eligible for health benefits covered under the State of Illinois health benefits plan on the basis of a member's employment with a public agency.

(Source: P.A. 92-597, eff. 6-28-02; 93-63, eff. 6-30-03.)

Section 10. The Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act is amended by changing Section 20 as follows:

(215 ILCS 170/20)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2011)

Sec. 20. Eligibility.

(a) To be eligible for the Program, a person must be a child:

(1) who is a resident of the State of Illinois; and

(2) who is ineligible for medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code or benefits under the Children's Health Insurance Program Act; and

(3) either (i) who has been without health insurance coverage for a period set forth by the Department in rules, but not less than 6 months during the first month of operation of the Program, 7 months during the second month of operation, 8 months during the third month of operation, 9 months during the fourth month of operation, 10 months during the fifth month of operation, 11 months during the sixth month of operation, and 12 months thereafter, (ii) whose parent has lost employment that made available affordable dependent health insurance coverage, until such time as affordable employer-sponsored dependent health insurance coverage is again available for the child as set forth by the Department in rules, (iii) who is a newborn whose responsible relative does not have available affordable private or employer-sponsored health insurance, or (iv) who, within one year of applying for coverage under this Act, lost medical benefits under the Illinois Public Aid Code or the Children's Health Insurance Program Act.

An entity that provides health insurance coverage (as defined in Section 2 of the Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act) to Illinois residents shall provide health insurance data match to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for the purpose of determining eligibility for the Program under this Act.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in collaboration with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Insurance, shall adopt rules governing the exchange of information under this Section. The rules shall be consistent with all laws relating to the confidentiality or privacy of personal information or medical records, including provisions under the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

(b) The Department shall monitor the availability and retention of employer-sponsored dependent health insurance coverage and shall modify the period described in subdivision (a)(3) if necessary to promote retention of private or employer-sponsored health insurance and timely access to healthcare services, but at no time shall the period described in subdivision (a)(3) be less than 6 months.

(c) The Department, at its discretion, may take into account the affordability of dependent health insurance when determining whether employer-sponsored dependent health insurance coverage is available upon reemployment of a child's parent as provided in subdivision (a)(3).

(d) A child who is determined to be eligible for the Program shall remain eligible for 12 months, provided that the child maintains his or her residence in this State, has not yet attained 19 years of age, and is not excluded under subsection (e).

(e) A child is not eligible for coverage under the Program if:

(1) the premium required under Section 40 has not been timely paid; if the required premiums are not paid, the liability of the Program shall be limited to benefits incurred under the Program for the time period for which premiums have been paid; if the required monthly premium is not paid, the child is ineligible for re-enrollment for a minimum period of 3 months; re-enrollment shall be completed before the next covered medical visit, and the first month's required premium shall be paid in advance of the next covered medical visit; or

(2) the child is an inmate of a public institution or an institution for mental diseases.

(f) The Department shall adopt eligibility rules, including, but not limited to: rules regarding annual renewals of eligibility for the Program; rules providing for re-enrollment, grace periods, notice requirements, and hearing procedures under subdivision (e)(1) of this Section; and rules regarding what constitutes availability and affordability of private or employer-sponsored health insurance, with consideration of such factors as the percentage of income needed to purchase children or family health insurance, the availability of employer subsidies, and other relevant factors.

(Source: P.A. 94-693, eff. 7-1-06.)