102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB0354

 

Introduced 1/29/2021, by Rep. LaToya Greenwood

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
305 ILCS 5/5-18.5 new

    Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting services to be covered under the medical assistance program for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance. Provides that perinatal doula services include regular visits beginning in the prenatal period and continuing into the postnatal period, inclusive of continuous support during labor and delivery, that support healthy pregnancies and positive birth outcomes. Provides that perinatal doula services may be embedded in an existing program, such as evidence-based home visiting. Provides that perinatal doula services provided during the prenatal period may be provided weekly, services provided during the labor and delivery period may be provided for the entire duration of labor and the time immediately following birth, and services provided during the postpartum period may be provided up to 12 months postpartum. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to adopt rules. Requires the Department, during the rulemaking process, to consider the expertise of and consult with doula program experts, doula training providers, practicing doulas, and home visiting experts, along with State agencies implementing perinatal doula services and relevant bodies under the Illinois Early Learning Council. Requires the Department to seek any State plan amendments or waivers necessary to implement the amendatory Act and to secure federal financial participation for expenditures made by the Department for perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting services. Effective July 1, 2022.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning public aid.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
5adding Section 5-18.5 as follows:
 
6    (305 ILCS 5/5-18.5 new)
7    Sec. 5-18.5. Perinatal doula and evidence-based home
8visiting services.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "Home visiting" means a voluntary, evidence-based strategy
11used to support pregnant people, infants, and young children
12and their caregivers to promote infant, child, and maternal
13health, to foster educational development and school
14readiness, and to help prevent child abuse and neglect. Home
15visitors are trained professionals whose visits and activities
16focus on promoting strong parent-child attachment to foster
17healthy child development.
18    "Perinatal doula" means a trained provider who provides
19regular, voluntary physical, emotional, and educational
20support, but not medical or midwife care, to pregnant and
21birthing persons before, during, and after childbirth,
22otherwise known as the perinatal period.
23    "Perinatal doula training" means any doula training that

 

 

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1focuses on providing support throughout the prenatal, labor
2and delivery, or postpartum period, and reflects the type of
3doula care that the doula seeks to provide.
4    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article,
5perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting
6services shall be covered under the medical assistance program
7for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance
8under this Article. Perinatal doula services include regular
9visits beginning in the prenatal period and continuing into
10the postnatal period, inclusive of continuous support during
11labor and delivery, that support healthy pregnancies and
12positive birth outcomes. Perinatal doula services may be
13embedded in an existing program, such as evidence-based home
14visiting. Perinatal doula services provided during the
15prenatal period may be provided weekly, services provided
16during the labor and delivery period may be provided for the
17entire duration of labor and the time immediately following
18birth, and services provided during the postpartum period may
19be provided up to 12 months postpartum.
20    (c) The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall
21adopt rules to administer this Section. In this rulemaking,
22the Department shall consider the expertise of and consult
23with doula program experts, doula training providers,
24practicing doulas, and home visiting experts, along with State
25agencies implementing perinatal doula services and relevant
26bodies under the Illinois Early Learning Council. This body of

 

 

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1experts shall inform the Department on the credentials
2necessary for perinatal doula and home visiting services to be
3eligible for Medicaid reimbursement and the rate of
4reimbursement for home visiting and perinatal doula services
5in the prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum periods.
6Every 2 years, the Department shall assess the rates of
7reimbursement for perinatal doula and home visiting services
8and adjust rates accordingly.
9    (d) The Department shall seek such State plan amendments
10or waivers as may be necessary to implement this Section and
11shall secure federal financial participation for expenditures
12made by the Department in accordance with this Section.
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
142022.