Public Act 100-0385
 
HB2907 EnrolledLRB100 07143 KTG 21435 b

    AN ACT concerning public aid.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
changing Section 5-5.25 as follows:
 
    (305 ILCS 5/5-5.25)
    Sec. 5-5.25. Access to psychiatric mental health services.
The General Assembly finds that providing access to psychiatric
mental health services in a timely manner will improve the
quality of life for persons suffering from mental illness and
will contain health care costs by avoiding the need for more
costly inpatient hospitalization. The Department of Healthcare
and Family Services shall reimburse psychiatrists and
federally qualified health centers as defined in Section
1905(l)(2)(B) of the federal Social Security Act for mental
health services provided by psychiatrists, as authorized by
Illinois law, to recipients via telepsychiatry. The
Department, by rule, shall establish: (i) criteria for such
services to be reimbursed, including appropriate facilities
and equipment to be used at both sites and requirements for a
physician or other licensed health care professional to be
present at the site where the patient is located; however, the
Department shall not require that a physician or other licensed
health care professional be physically present in the same room
as the patient for the entire time during which the patient is
receiving telepsychiatry services; , and (ii) a method to
reimburse providers for mental health services provided by
telepsychiatry.
    On and after July 1, 2012, the Department shall reduce any
rate of reimbursement for services or other payments or alter
any methodologies authorized by this Code to reduce any rate of
reimbursement for services or other payments in accordance with
Section 5-5e.
(Source: P.A. 97-689, eff. 6-14-12.)