Rep. William Delgado

Filed: 5/13/2005

 

 


 

 


 
09400SB0519ham001 LRB094 10618 DRJ 46487 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 519

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 519 on page 1, line
3 5, by changing "Section 9A-15" to "Sections 9A-15 and 12-4.7e";
4 and
 
5 on page 6, after line 11, by inserting the following:
 
6     "(305 ILCS 5/12-4.7e new)
7     Sec. 12-4.7e. Task force on applications and access to
8 income supports and medical assistance.
9     (a) The General Assembly has created a number of programs
10 that provide benefits and services to low-income people and
11 families designed to encourage, support, and sustain their
12 efforts to improve their economic status through employment.
13 The General Assembly finds that, because of disparate federal
14 requirements, complex program rules, agency staffing
15 challenges, and other administrative infrastructure issues,
16 many eligible people may not access these programs in a timely
17 way.
18     (b) Therefore, the Departments of Human Services and
19 Healthcare and Family Services shall jointly convene, or
20 otherwise identify members of existing advisory bodies to
21 jointly convene, a task force no later than October 1, 2005, to
22 advise the departments in conducting a thorough review and
23 analysis of policies and procedures concerning applications
24 and determinations of eligibility for cash assistance, food

 

 

09400SB0519ham001 - 2 - LRB094 10618 DRJ 46487 a

1 stamps, and medical assistance provided under this Code and the
2 Children's Health Insurance Program Act. The task force shall
3 meet quarterly.
4     (c) At a minimum, the review and analysis shall encompass
5 the following:
6         (1) Barriers encountered by applicants.
7         (2) Requirements for face-to-face interviews.
8         (3) Where applications may be made.
9         (4) Where open cases are maintained.
10         (5) Methodologies for counting income.
11         (6) Requirements for documenting or otherwise
12     verifying eligibility criteria.
13         (7) Establishing the earliest possible date of
14     application.
15         (8) Coordinating redeterminations of eligibility
16     including the frequency of redeterminations.
17         (9) Acceptable methods for submitting information and
18     required documentation whether in person, or by phone,
19     facsimile, or electronic transmission.
20     (d) Based on the review and analysis, the departments and
21 the task force shall jointly develop recommendations for
22 appropriate changes in law, rules, policy, or process that will
23 simplify, make uniform, or otherwise ease the processes by
24 which potentially eligible persons may apply for and be found
25 eligible for benefits. The recommendations shall include
26 proposed timelines and priorities for implementation. In
27 making the recommendations, the departments and the task force
28 shall take into account and balance the following factors:
29         (1) The need to comply with federal law and regulations
30     to maximize federal financial participation.
31         (2) The need to minimize administrative tasks for
32     applicants, recipients, employees, medical providers, and
33     authorized agents of the departments while maintaining
34     program integrity.

 

 

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1         (3) The costs and potential savings associated with
2     proposed changes.
3         (4) The preservation of existing benefit levels for the
4     substantial majority of recipients.
5         (5) The appropriateness and feasibility of obtaining
6     waivers of federal law and regulations to maximize the
7     goals of simplification and uniformity without loss of
8     federal financial participation.
9     (e) The departments shall work in good faith to implement
10 the recommendations to the extent they are appropriate and
11 feasible given available resources and time.
12     (f) The departments shall jointly prepare a written report
13 of the work, recommendations, and any administrative changes
14 developed under this Section. The task force shall have the
15 opportunity to review and comment on a draft of the report. The
16 report shall be submitted to the Governor and the General
17 Assembly on or before January 1, 2007.".