State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Senate Amendment 002 ]

90_SB0672sam001

                                           LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1                    AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 672
 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend Senate Bill 672  by  replacing
 3    everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 4        "Section  1.  Short  title.  This Act may be cited as the
 5    Genetic Information Privacy Act.
 6        Section 5.  Legislative findings;  intent.   The  General
 7    Assembly finds that:
 8             (1)  The  use  of genetic testing can be valuable to
 9        an individual.
10             (2)  Despite   existing   laws,   regulations,   and
11        professional standards which require or promote voluntary
12        and confidential use of genetic testing information, many
13        members of the public are deterred from  seeking  genetic
14        testing  because  of  fear  that  test  results  will  be
15        disclosed  without consent or be used in a discriminatory
16        manner.
17             (3)  The   public   health   will   be   served   by
18        facilitating voluntary and confidential nondiscriminatory
19        use of genetic testing information.
20        Section 10.  Definitions.  As used in this Act:
21        "Genetic testing" means a test of a person's genes,  gene
                            -2-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    products,  or  chromosomes for abnormalities or deficiencies,
 2    including carrier status, that (i) are linked to physical  or
 3    mental    disorders   or   impairments,   (ii)   indicate   a
 4    susceptibility to  illness,  disease,  impairment,  or  other
 5    disorders,  whether  physical or mental, or (iii) demonstrate
 6    genetic or chromosomal damage due to environmental factors.
 7        "Insurer" means (i) an entity that transacts an insurance
 8    business and (ii) a managed care plan.
 9        "Managed  care  plan"  means  a  plan  that  establishes,
10    operates, or maintains a network  of  health  care  providers
11    that  have  entered  into agreements with the plan to provide
12    health care services to enrollees  where  the  plan  has  the
13    ultimate and direct contractual obligation to the enrollee to
14    arrange for the provision of or pay for services through:
15             (1)  organizational arrangements for ongoing quality
16        assurance,   utilization   review  programs,  or  dispute
17        resolution; or
18             (2)  financial incentives for  persons  enrolled  in
19        the   plan   to   use  the  participating  providers  and
20        procedures covered by the plan.
21        A managed care plan may be established or operated by any
22    entity including a licensed insurance  company,  hospital  or
23    medical   service   plan,  health  maintenance  organization,
24    limited  health  service  organization,  preferred   provider
25    organization,  third  party  administrator, or an employer or
26    employee organization.
27        Section 15.  Confidentiality of genetic information.
28        (a)  Except as otherwise provided in  this  Act,  genetic
29    testing  and  information  derived  from  genetic  testing is
30    confidential and privileged and may be released only  to  the
31    individual  tested and to persons specifically authorized, in
32    writing in accordance with Section 30,  by that individual to
33    receive the information.  Except  as  otherwise  provided  in
                            -3-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    subsection  (b) and in Section 30, this information shall not
 2    be admissible as evidence, nor discoverable in any action  of
 3    any kind in any court, or before any tribunal, board, agency,
 4    or  person pursuant to Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of
 5    Civil Procedure.  No liability shall attach to any  hospital,
 6    physician,  or other health care provider for compliance with
 7    the provisions of  this  Act  including  a  specific  written
 8    release by the individual in accordance with this Act.
 9        (b)  When  a  biological  sample is legally obtained by a
10    peace  officer  for  use  in  a  criminal  investigation   or
11    prosecution, information derived from genetic testing of that
12    sample  may  be  disclosed  to  appropriate  law  enforcement
13    authorities  conducting  the investigation or prosecution and
14    may be used in accordance with Section 5-4-3 of  the  Unified
15    Code  of Corrections.  The information may be used during the
16    course of the investigation or prosecution  with  respect  to
17    the  individual  tested without the consent of the individual
18    and shall be admissible as evidence in court.
19        The information shall be confidential  and  disclosed  to
20    only  those  individuals  involved  in  the  investigation or
21    prosecution with a need to know the information.
22        (c)  If the subject of the information requested  by  law
23    enforcement is found innocent of the offense or otherwise not
24    criminally  penalized,  then the records shall be expunged by
25    the court within 30 days after the  final  legal  proceeding.
26    The court shall notify the subject of the information  of the
27    expungement of the records in writing.
28        Law  enforcement  personnel and court personnel shall not
29    publicly disclose the existence or  results  of  any  genetic
30    testing information.
31        (d)  Results  of  genetic  testing that indicate that the
32    individual tested is at the time of the test afflicted with a
33    disease are not subject to the  confidentiality  requirements
34    of this Act.
                            -4-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1        Section  20.  Use  of  genetic  testing  information  for
 2    insurance purposes.
 3        (a)  An  insurer  may  not  seek information derived from
 4    genetic testing for  use  in  connection  with  a  policy  of
 5    accident   and  health  insurance.   Except  as  provided  in
 6    subsection (b), an insurer that receives information  derived
 7    from  genetic  testing  may  not  use  the  information for a
 8    nontherapeutic purpose as it relates to a policy of  accident
 9    and health insurance.
10        (b)  An  insurer  may  consider  the  results  of genetic
11    testing in connection with a policy of  accident  and  health
12    insurance  if  the individual voluntarily submits the results
13    and the results are favorable to the individual.
14        (c)  An insurer that possesses information  derived  from
15    genetic  testing  may  not release the information to a third
16    party, except as specified in Section 30.
17        (d)  An individual who has knowledge of  the  results  of
18    genetic  testing that indicate that the individual has a high
19    probability of  being  afflicted  with  a  genetically-linked
20    fatal  disease  may  not  obtain  a  policy of life insurance
21    without disclosing those results to the insurer.
22        Section 22.  Tests to determine inherited characteristics
23    in paternity proceedings.   Nothing  in  this  Act  shall  be
24    construed to affect or restrict in any way the ordering of or
25    use  of  results  from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing or
26    other tests to determine  inherited  characteristics  by  the
27    court  in  a judicial proceeding under the Illinois Parentage
28    Act of 1984 or by the Illinois Department of Public Aid in an
29    administrative paternity proceeding under Article  X  of  the
30    Illinois  Public  Aid  Code  and rules promulgated under that
31    Article.
32        Section  25.  Use  of  genetic  testing  information   by
                            -5-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    employers.
 2        (a)  An  employer  may  not fail to hire, refuse to hire,
 3    discharge, or otherwise discriminate  against  an  individual
 4    with  respect  to  compensation  or the terms, conditions, or
 5    privileges of employment because of the results  of,  or  the
 6    refusal of the individual to submit to, genetic testing.
 7        (b)  This  Section  does not prohibit the genetic testing
 8    of an employee who requests to undergo  genetic  testing  and
 9    who  provides written and informed consent to genetic testing
10    to  determine  the  employee's  susceptibility  or  level  of
11    exposure to potentially toxic chemicals or potentially  toxic
12    substances  in  the  workplace,  if  the  employer  does  not
13    terminate   the  employee  or  take  any  other  action  that
14    adversely affects any term, condition, or  privilege  of  the
15    employee's employment as a result of genetic testing.
16        (c)  An  employer may release genetic testing information
17    only in accordance with Section 30.
18        Section  30.  Disclosure  of  person  tested   and   test
19    results.
20        No  person  may  disclose or be compelled to disclose the
21    identity of any person upon whom a genetic test is  performed
22    or  the  results  of  a genetic test in a manner that permits
23    identification of the subject of  the  test,  except  to  the
24    following persons:
25        (1)  The  subject  of  the  test or the subject's legally
26    authorized representative.  This paragraph does not create  a
27    duty  or  obligation  under which a health care provider must
28    notify the subject's spouse or legal  guardian  of  the  test
29    results, and no such duty or obligation shall be implied.  No
30    civil  liability or criminal sanction under this Act shall be
31    imposed for any disclosure or nondisclosure of a test  result
32    to  a  spouse  by a physician acting in good faith under this
33    paragraph.  For the purpose  of  any  proceedings,  civil  or
                            -6-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    criminal,  the  good faith of any physician acting under this
 2    paragraph shall be presumed.
 3        (2)  Any person designated in a specific written  legally
 4    effective release of the test results executed by the subject
 5    of   the   test   or   the   subject's   legally   authorized
 6    representative.
 7        (3)  An authorized agent or employee of a health facility
 8    or health care provider if the health facility or health care
 9    provider itself is authorized to obtain the test results, the
10    agent  or  employee  provides  patient care, and the agent or
11    employee has a need to know the information.
12        (4)  A health  facility  or  health  care  provider  that
13    procures, processes, distributes, or uses:
14             (A)  a  human  body part from a deceased person with
15        respect to medical information regarding that person; or
16             (B)  semen provided prior to the effective  date  of
17        this Act for the purpose of artificial insemination.
18        (5)  Health facility staff committees for the purposes of
19    conducting program monitoring, program evaluation, or service
20    reviews.
21        (6)  In  the  case  of a minor under 18 years of age, the
22    health care provider  who  ordered  the  test  shall  make  a
23    reasonable  effort  to  notify  the  minor's  parent or legal
24    guardian if, in the professional judgment of the health  care
25    provider,  notification  would be in the best interest of the
26    minor  and  the  health  care  provider  has   first   sought
27    unsuccessfully  to persuade the minor to notify the parent or
28    legal guardian or after a reasonable time after the minor has
29    agreed to notify the parent or  legal  guardian,  the  health
30    care  provider  has  reason to believe that the minor has not
31    made the notification.  This paragraph  shall  not  create  a
32    duty  or  obligation  under which a health care provider must
33    notify the minor's parent  or  legal  guardian  of  the  test
34    results, nor shall a duty or obligation be implied.  No civil
                            -7-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    liability  or  criminal  sanction  under  this  Act  shall be
 2    imposed for any notification or non-notification of a minor's
 3    test result by a health care provider acting  in  good  faith
 4    under  this  paragraph.    For the purpose of any proceeding,
 5    civil or criminal, the good faith of any health care provider
 6    acting under this paragraph shall be presumed.
 7        (7)  All information and records held by a  State  agency
 8    or  local  health authority pertaining to genetic information
 9    shall be strictly confidential and exempt  from  copying  and
10    inspection   under  the  Freedom  of  Information  Act.   The
11    information and records shall not be released or made  public
12    by  the  State agency or local health authority and shall not
13    be admissible as evidence nor discoverable in any  action  of
14    any  kind in any court or before any tribunal, board, agency,
15    or person and shall be treated in  the  same  manner  as  the
16    information  and  those  records subject to the provisions of
17    Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure except
18    under the following circumstances:
19             (A)  when made  with  the  written  consent  of  all
20        persons to whom the information pertains;
21             (B)  when authorized by Section 5-4-3 of the Unified
22        Code of Corrections;
23             (C)  when  made for the sole purpose of implementing
24        the Phenylketonuria Testing Act and rules; or
25             (D)  when  made  under  the  authorization  of   the
26        Illinois Parentage Act of 1984.
27        Disclosure  shall  be limited to those who have a need to
28    know the information, and no additional  disclosures  may  be
29    made.
30        Section  35.  Disclosure  by  person to whom results have
31    been disclosed.  No person to whom the results of a test have
32    been disclosed may  disclose  the  test  results  to  another
33    person except as authorized by Section 30.
                            -8-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1        Section  40.  Right of action.  Any person aggrieved by a
 2    violation of this Act shall have a right  of  action  in  the
 3    circuit court and may recover for each violation:
 4        (1)  Against   any  person  who  negligently  violates  a
 5    provision of this Act, liquidated damages of $1,000 or actual
 6    damages, whichever is greater.
 7        (2)  Against any person who intentionally  or  recklessly
 8    violates  a  provision  of  this  Act,  liquidated damages of
 9    $5,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater.
10        (3)  Reasonable attorney fees.
11        (4)  Such other relief, including an injunction,  as  the
12    court may deem appropriate.
13        Section  45.   Damages  or other relief.  Nothing in this
14    Act limits the right of the subject  of  a  test  to  recover
15    damages or other relief under any other applicable law.
16        Section  91.  The  Illinois  Insurance Code is amended by
17    adding Section 356t as follows:
18        (215 ILCS 5/356t new)
19        Sec.  356t.  Use  of  information  derived  from  genetic
20    testing. After the effective date of this amendatory  Act  of
21    1997,  an  insurer  must  comply  with  the provisions of the
22    Genetic  Information  Privacy  Act  in  connection  with  the
23    amendment, delivery, issuance, or renewal of, or  claims  for
24    or denial of coverage under, an individual or group policy of
25    accident and health insurance.
26        Section  93.  The  Health Maintenance Organization Act is
27    amended by changing Section 5-3 as follows:
28        (215 ILCS 125/5-3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1411.2)
29        Sec. 5-3.  Insurance Code provisions.
                            -9-            LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1        (a)  Health Maintenance Organizations shall be subject to
 2    the provisions of Sections 133, 134, 137, 140, 141.1,  141.2,
 3    141.3,  143,  143c, 147, 148, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 154.5,
 4    154.6, 154.7, 154.8, 155.04, 355.2, 356m,  356t,  367i,  401,
 5    401.1,  402, 403, 403A, 408, 408.2, and 412, paragraph (c) of
 6    subsection (2) of Section 367, and Articles  VIII  1/2,  XII,
 7    XII  1/2,  XIII, XIII 1/2, and XXVI of the Illinois Insurance
 8    Code.
 9        (b)  For purposes of the Illinois Insurance Code,  except
10    for   Articles   XIII   and   XIII  1/2,  Health  Maintenance
11    Organizations in the following categories are  deemed  to  be
12    "domestic companies":
13             (1)  a  corporation  authorized  under  the  Medical
14        Service Plan Act, the Dental Service Plan Act, the Vision
15        Service  Plan  Act,  the Pharmaceutical Service Plan Act,
16        the Voluntary Health Services Plan Act, or the  Nonprofit
17        Health Care Service Plan Act;
18             (2)  a  corporation organized under the laws of this
19        State; or
20             (3)  a  corporation  organized  under  the  laws  of
21        another state, 30% or more of the enrollees of which  are
22        residents  of this State, except a corporation subject to
23        substantially the  same  requirements  in  its  state  of
24        organization  as  is  a  "domestic company" under Article
25        VIII 1/2 of the Illinois Insurance Code.
26        (c)  In considering the merger, consolidation,  or  other
27    acquisition  of  control of a Health Maintenance Organization
28    pursuant to Article VIII 1/2 of the Illinois Insurance Code,
29             (1)  the Director shall give  primary  consideration
30        to  the  continuation  of  benefits  to enrollees and the
31        financial conditions of the acquired  Health  Maintenance
32        Organization  after  the  merger, consolidation, or other
33        acquisition of control takes effect;
34             (2)(i)  the criteria specified in subsection  (1)(b)
                            -10-           LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1        of Section 131.8 of the Illinois Insurance Code shall not
 2        apply  and (ii) the Director, in making his determination
 3        with respect  to  the  merger,  consolidation,  or  other
 4        acquisition  of  control,  need not take into account the
 5        effect on competition of the  merger,  consolidation,  or
 6        other acquisition of control;
 7             (3)  the  Director  shall  have the power to require
 8        the following information:
 9                  (A)  certification by an independent actuary of
10             the  adequacy  of  the  reserves   of   the   Health
11             Maintenance Organization sought to be acquired;
12                  (B)  pro  forma financial statements reflecting
13             the combined balance sheets of the acquiring company
14             and the Health Maintenance Organization sought to be
15             acquired as of the end of the preceding year and  as
16             of  a date 90 days prior to the acquisition, as well
17             as  pro  forma   financial   statements   reflecting
18             projected  combined  operation  for  a  period  of 2
19             years;
20                  (C)  a pro forma  business  plan  detailing  an
21             acquiring   party's   plans   with  respect  to  the
22             operation of  the  Health  Maintenance  Organization
23             sought  to be acquired for a period of not less than
24             3 years; and
25                  (D)  such other  information  as  the  Director
26             shall require.
27        (d)  The  provisions  of Article VIII 1/2 of the Illinois
28    Insurance Code and this Section 5-3 shall apply to  the  sale
29    by any health maintenance organization of greater than 10% of
30    its  enrollee  population  (including  without limitation the
31    health maintenance organization's right, title, and  interest
32    in and to its health care certificates).
33        (e)  In  considering  any  management contract or service
34    agreement subject to Section 141.1 of the Illinois  Insurance
                            -11-           LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    Code,  the  Director  (i)  shall, in addition to the criteria
 2    specified in Section 141.2 of the  Illinois  Insurance  Code,
 3    take  into  account  the effect of the management contract or
 4    service  agreement  on  the  continuation  of   benefits   to
 5    enrollees   and   the   financial  condition  of  the  health
 6    maintenance organization to be managed or serviced, and  (ii)
 7    need  not  take  into  account  the  effect of the management
 8    contract or service agreement on competition.
 9        (f)  Except for small employer groups as defined  in  the
10    Small  Employer  Rating,  Renewability and Portability Health
11    Insurance Act and except for medicare supplement policies  as
12    defined  in  Section  363  of  the Illinois Insurance Code, a
13    Health Maintenance Organization may by contract agree with  a
14    group  or  other  enrollment unit to effect refunds or charge
15    additional premiums under the following terms and conditions:
16             (i)  the amount of, and other terms  and  conditions
17        with respect to, the refund or additional premium are set
18        forth  in the group or enrollment unit contract agreed in
19        advance of the period for which a refund is to be paid or
20        additional premium is to be charged (which  period  shall
21        not be less than one year); and
22             (ii)  the amount of the refund or additional premium
23        shall   not   exceed   20%   of  the  Health  Maintenance
24        Organization's profitable or unprofitable experience with
25        respect to the group or other  enrollment  unit  for  the
26        period  (and,  for  purposes  of  a  refund or additional
27        premium, the profitable or unprofitable experience  shall
28        be calculated taking into account a pro rata share of the
29        Health   Maintenance  Organization's  administrative  and
30        marketing expenses, but shall not include any  refund  to
31        be made or additional premium to be paid pursuant to this
32        subsection (f)).  The Health Maintenance Organization and
33        the   group   or  enrollment  unit  may  agree  that  the
34        profitable or unprofitable experience may  be  calculated
                            -12-           LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1        taking into account the refund period and the immediately
 2        preceding 2 plan years.
 3        The  Health  Maintenance  Organization  shall  include  a
 4    statement in the evidence of coverage issued to each enrollee
 5    describing the possibility of a refund or additional premium,
 6    and  upon request of any group or enrollment unit, provide to
 7    the group or enrollment unit a description of the method used
 8    to  calculate  (1)  the  Health  Maintenance   Organization's
 9    profitable experience with respect to the group or enrollment
10    unit and the resulting refund to the group or enrollment unit
11    or  (2)  the  Health  Maintenance Organization's unprofitable
12    experience with respect to the group or enrollment  unit  and
13    the  resulting  additional premium to be paid by the group or
14    enrollment unit.
15        In  no  event  shall  the  Illinois  Health   Maintenance
16    Organization  Guaranty  Association  be  liable  to  pay  any
17    contractual  obligation  of  an insolvent organization to pay
18    any refund authorized under this Section.
19    (Source: P.A. 88-313; 89-90, eff. 6-30-95.)
20        Section 95.  The Limited Health Service Organization  Act
21    is amended by changing Section 4003 as follows:
22        (215 ILCS 130/4003) (from Ch. 73, par. 1504-3)
23        Sec.  4003.  Illinois Insurance Code provisions.  Limited
24    health  service  organizations  shall  be  subject   to   the
25    provisions  of  Sections  133,  134,  137, 140, 141.1, 141.2,
26    141.3, 143, 143c, 147, 148, 149, 151, 152, 153,  154,  154.5,
27    154.6,  154.7,  154.8,  155.04, 355.2, 356t, 401, 401.1, 402,
28    403, 403A, 408, 408.2, and 412, and Articles VIII  1/2,  XII,
29    XII  1/2,  XIII, XIII 1/2, and XXVI of the Illinois Insurance
30    Code.  For purposes of the Illinois  Insurance  Code,  except
31    for  Articles  XIII  and  XIII  1/2,  limited  health service
32    organizations in the following categories are  deemed  to  be
                            -13-           LRB9002410JSgcam02
 1    domestic companies:
 2             (1)  a corporation under the laws of this State; or
 3             (2)  a  corporation  organized  under  the  laws  of
 4        another  state, 30% of more of the enrollees of which are
 5        residents of this State, except a corporation subject  to
 6        substantially  the  same  requirements  in  its  state of
 7        organization as is a domestic company under Article  VIII
 8        1/2 of the Illinois Insurance Code.
 9    (Source: P.A. 86-600; 87-587; 87-1090.)
10        Section  97.  The  Voluntary Health Services Plans Act is
11    amended by changing Section 10 as follows:
12        (215 ILCS 165/10) (from Ch. 32, par. 604)
13        Sec.  10.  Application  of  Insurance  Code   provisions.
14    Health  services plan corporations and all persons interested
15    therein  or  dealing  therewith  shall  be  subject  to   the
16    provisions  of  Article  XII  1/2 and Sections 3.1, 133, 140,
17    143, 143c, 149, 354, 355.2, 356r, 356t,  367.2,  401,  401.1,
18    402,  403,  403A, 408, 408.2, and 412, and paragraphs (7) and
19    (15) of Section 367 of the Illinois Insurance Code.
20    (Source: P.A. 89-514, eff. 7-17-96.)".

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