SB2870 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 20648 DRJ 46775 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2870

Introduced 2/6/2004, by Dale A. Righter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

215 ILCS 106/20
215 ILCS 106/40
305 ILCS 5/8A-6	from Ch. 23, par. 8A-6

Amends the Children's Health Insurance Program Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code. In connection with eligibility for the KidCare program, sets an asset limit of $10,000, excluding the value of the child's residence and the value of a vehicle (other than a recreational vehicle) used for transportation. Requires that changes in income or other circumstances be reported within 30 days (instead of promptly), and provides that a failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $10,000 under the public assistance fraud provisions of the Illinois Public Aid Code; also provides for repayment of an amount equal to benefits that were wrongly received. Requires the Department of Public Aid to adopt rules within 60 days. Makes the reporting, penalty, and rulemaking provisions also applicable to the FamilyCare program. Effective immediately.

CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning health.

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 Sections 20 and 40 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;

(2.5) is a child whose household assets do not exceed $10,000, excluding (i) the value of the residence in which the child lives and (ii) the value of a vehicle used by the household for transportation purposes; for purposes of this paragraph (2.5), "vehicle" does not include a recreational vehicle as defined in the Campground Licensing and Recreational Area Act;

(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 within 30 days after the occurrence of the change. A failure to report such a change to the Department within 30 days, without good cause, is punishable as provided in Section 8A-6 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. 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.

(d) Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Department shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The Department may adopt rules necessary to implement these changes through the use of emergency rulemaking in accordance with Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. For purposes of that Act, the General Assembly finds that the adoption of rules to implement these changes is deemed an emergency and necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.

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

(215 ILCS 106/40)

Sec. 40. Waivers.

(a) The Department shall request any necessary waivers of federal requirements in order to allow receipt of federal funding for:

(1) the coverage of families with eligible children under this Act; and

(2) for the coverage of children who would otherwise be eligible under this Act, but who have health insurance.

(b) The failure of the responsible federal agency to approve a waiver for children who would otherwise be eligible under this Act but who have health insurance shall not prevent the implementation of any Section of this Act provided that there are sufficient appropriated funds.

(c) Eligibility of a person under an approved waiver due to the relationship with a child pursuant to Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code or this Act shall be limited to such a person whose countable income is determined by the Department to be at or below such income eligibility standard as the Department by rule shall establish. The income level established by the Department shall not be below 90% of the federal poverty level. Such persons who are determined to be eligible must reapply, or otherwise establish eligibility, at least annually. An eligible person shall be required, as determined by the Department by rule, to report promptly those changes in income and other circumstances that affect eligibility to the Department within 30 days after the occurrence of the change. A failure to report such a change to the Department within 30 days, without good cause, is punishable as provided in Section 8A-6 of the Illinois Public Aid Code. The eligibility of a person may be redetermined based on the information reported or may be terminated based on the failure to report or failure to report accurately. A person may also be held liable to the Department for any payments made by the Department on such person's behalf that were inappropriate. An applicant shall be provided with notice of these obligations.

(d) Within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Department shall adopt rules to implement the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The Department may adopt rules necessary to implement these changes through the use of emergency rulemaking in accordance with Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. For purposes of that Act, the General Assembly finds that the adoption of rules to implement these changes is deemed an emergency and necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.

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

Section 10. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by changing Section 8A-6 as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/8A-6) (from Ch. 23, par. 8A-6)

Sec. 8A-6. Classification of violations.

(a) Any person, firm, corporation, association, agency, institution or other legal entity that has been found by a court to have engaged in an act, practice or course of conduct declared unlawful under Sections 8A-2 through 8A-5 or Section 8A-13 or 8A-14 where:

(1) the total amount of money involved in the violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is less than $150, shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor;

(2) the total amount of money involved in the violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $150 or more but less than $1,000, shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony;

(3) the total amount of money involved in the violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $1,000 or more but less than $5,000, shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony;

(4) the total amount of money involved in the violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $5,000 or more but less than $10,000, shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony; or

(5) the total amount of money involved in the violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $10,000 or more, shall be guilty of a Class 1 felony and, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8A-8 except for Subsection (c) of Section 8A-8, shall be ineligible for financial aid under this Article for a period of two years following conviction or until the total amount of money, including the value of federal food stamps, is repaid, whichever first occurs.

(b) Any person, firm, corporation, association, agency, institution or other legal entity that commits a subsequent violation of any of the provisions of Sections 8A-2 through 8A-5 and:

(1) the total amount of money involved in the subsequent violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is less than $150, shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony;

(2) the total amount of money involved in the subsequent violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $150 or more but less than $1,000, shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony;

(3) the total amount of money involved in the subsequent violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $1,000 or more but less than $5,000, shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony;

(4) the total amount of money involved in the subsequent violation, including the monetary value of federal food stamps and the value of commodities, is $5,000 or more but less than $10,000, shall be guilty of a Class 1 felony.

(c) For purposes of determining the classification of offense under this Section, all of the money received as a result of the unlawful act, practice or course of conduct can be accumulated.

(d) A failure to report a change in income or other circumstances to the Department of Public Aid within 30 days as required under subsection (b) of Section 20 or subsection (c) of Section 40 of the Children's Health Insurance Program Act, without good cause, is a Class A misdemeanor for which a fine not to $10,000 may be imposed. In addition, if a person receives benefits under Section 20 or 40 of that Act to which he or she was not entitled because of the person's failure, without good cause, to report a change in income or other circumstances that would have rendered the person ineligible for those benefits, the person must repay to the Department of Public Aid the amount of benefits wrongly received.

(Source: P.A. 90-538, eff. 12-1-97.)

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