HB0732enr 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0732 Enrolled LRB095 07660 DRJ 29263 b

AN ACT concerning health.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Health Access Network Act.

Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to provide aid to existing primary health care safety nets for specialty care that will allow the development of a comprehensive system of health care services.

Section 10. Definition. In this Act, "Department" means the Department of Public Health.

Section 15. Pilot program. The Department shall establish a Health Access Network pilot program in Kane County. The program shall provide funding for and coordination of health care services that include comprehensive case management and ancillary services to support treatment goals. In particular, the program shall provide specialty health care services, pharmaceutical drug assistance, and diagnostic testing for individuals who are not eligible for medical assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code and who do not have other health insurance coverage. The program shall emphasize providing services in relation to the top health care issues as identified by Kane County's "IPLAN" community health assessment and planning process and the Top Ten Diseases as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Section 20. Lead agency; grant.

(a) The Department shall designate an entity to serve as the lead agency in administering the pilot program. Any entity located in Kane County that has established consortia of health entities may apply for designation as the lead agency and for a grant under this Section. The Department shall determine the form and manner of application. The application must state the name and address of the proposed lead agency.

(b) Any entity, or a group of individuals or entities or a combination of both, located in a county with a population of less than 100,000 that is contiguous to Kane County may join with an entity described in subsection (a) in applying for a grant under this Section to establish the pilot program to serve a multi-county area that includes Kane County. The lead agency for such a multi-county program must be located in Kane County, however.

(c) The Department shall award a grant to the lead agency designated under subsection (a) for the purpose of administering the pilot program. The lead agency shall use the grant moneys to administer and coordinate pilot program activities within the county or counties of the program's operation and shall develop community partnerships necessary to implement the pilot program.

Section 25. Report. The Department, in cooperation with the lead agency designated under Section 20, shall submit a report on the operation of the pilot program to the General Assembly after the pilot program has been in operation for 18 months. The report shall include the Department's recommendations concerning the continued operation of the Health Access Network program and its expansion to other areas of the State.

Section 30. Implementation subject to appropriations. Implementation of this Act is subject to appropriations made to the Department for that purpose.

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