093_HB1648

 
                                     LRB093 06981 JLS 07131 b

 1        AN  ACT  concerning  the  Comprehensive  Health Insurance
 2    Plan.

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

 5        Section  5.  The  Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan Act
 6    is amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

 7        (215 ILCS 105/15)
 8        Sec. 15.  Alternative  portable  coverage  for  federally
 9    eligible individuals.
10        (a)  Notwithstanding  the requirements of subsection (a).
11    of Section 7 of this Act, any federally  eligible  individual
12    for   whom  a  Plan  application,  and  such  enclosures  and
13    supporting  documentation  as  the  Board  may  require,   is
14    received by the Board within 90 days after the termination of
15    prior creditable coverage shall qualify to enroll in the Plan
16    under the portability provisions of this Section.
17        (b)  Any   federally  eligible  individual  seeking  Plan
18    coverage under this Section  must  submit  with  his  or  her
19    application    evidence,    including    acceptable   written
20    certification of  previous  creditable  coverage,  that  will
21    establish  to  the Board's satisfaction, that he or she meets
22    all of the requirements to be a federally eligible individual
23    and is currently and permanently residing in this  State  (as
24    of  the  date  his  or  her  application  was received by the
25    Board).
26        (c)  A  period  of  creditable  coverage  shall  not   be
27    counted,  with  respect  to  qualifying an applicant for Plan
28    coverage  as  a  federally  eligible  individual  under  this
29    Section, if after such period and before the application  for
30    Plan coverage was received by the Board, there was at least a
31    90  day  period  during  all  of which the individual was not
 
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 1    covered under any creditable coverage.
 2        (d)  Any federally  eligible  individual  who  the  Board
 3    determines  qualifies  for  Plan  coverage under this Section
 4    shall be offered his or her choice of  enrolling  in  one  of
 5    alternative  portability health benefit plans which the Board
 6    is authorized under  this  Section  to  establish  for  these
 7    federally eligible individuals and their dependents.
 8        (e)  The  Board  shall  offer  a  choice  of  health care
 9    coverages consistent with major medical  coverage  under  the
10    alternative  health  benefit plans authorized by this Section
11    to every federally eligible individual. The coverages  to  be
12    offered   under   the   plans,   the  schedule  of  benefits,
13    deductibles, co-payments, exclusions, and  other  limitations
14    shall  be  approved  by  the  Board.   One  optional  form of
15    coverage  shall  be  comparable   to   comprehensive   health
16    insurance  coverage  offered in the individual market in this
17    State or a standard option of coverage  available  under  the
18    group  or individual health insurance laws of the State.  The
19    standard benefit plan that is authorized by Section 8 of this
20    Act may be used for this purpose.  The Board may also offer a
21    preferred provider option and such other options as the Board
22    determines may be appropriate for  these  federally  eligible
23    individuals  who  qualify  for Plan coverage pursuant to this
24    Section.
25        (f)  Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection f. of
26    Section 8, any plan coverage  that  is  issued  to  federally
27    eligible individuals who qualify for the Plan pursuant to the
28    portability  provisions  of this Section shall not be subject
29    to any preexisting conditions exclusion, waiting  period,  or
30    other similar limitation on coverage.
31        (g)  Federally   eligible  individuals  who  qualify  and
32    enroll in the Plan pursuant to this Section shall be required
33    to pay such premium rates as the Board  shall  establish  and
34    approve in accordance with the requirements of Section 7.1 of
 
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 1    this Act.
 2        (h)  A  federally  eligible  individual who qualifies and
 3    enrolls in the Plan pursuant to this Section must satisfy  on
 4    an ongoing basis all of the other eligibility requirements of
 5    this  Act  to  the  extent  not inconsistent with the federal
 6    Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  of  1996
 7    in order to maintain continued eligibility for coverage under
 8    the Plan.
 9    (Source: P.A. 92-153, eff. 7-25-01.)