Public Act 095-0248
 
HB1758 Enrolled LRB095 03965 DRJ 24057 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
adding Section 5-2.4 as follows:
 
    (305 ILCS 5/5-2.4 new)
    Sec. 5-2.4. Pilot project; certain persons with
disabilities.
    (a) The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall
operate a pilot project to determine the effect of raising the
income and non-exempt asset eligibility thresholds for certain
persons with disabilities on those persons' ability to maintain
their homes in the community and avoid institutionalization.
Enrollment under the pilot project shall be limited to 50
persons per year. Persons who become eligible under this
project shall remain eligible for medical assistance unless
they no longer meet the standards under which they were
determined eligible under the project. Eligibility for medical
assistance under this Section shall cease once a person obtains
other health coverage considered adequate to meet his or her
health care needs.
    (b) Persons who meet all of the following criteria may be
enrolled under the pilot project:
        (1) they initially enrolled for medical assistance
    under paragraph 2(a)(ii) of Section 5-2;
        (2) subsequent to initial enrollment, they are
    otherwise qualified under paragraph 2(a)(i) of Section
    5-2, except that their income, as determined by the
    Department, exceeds 100% of the poverty guidelines updated
    periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department
    of Health and Human Services under authority of 42 U.S.C.
    9902(2) ("the federal poverty income guidelines");
        (3) they were at least 60 years of age but less than 65
    years of age upon initial enrollment for medical
    assistance;
        (4) they have income no greater than 200% of the
    federal poverty income guidelines; and
        (5) they have non-exempt assets no greater than
    $10,000.
    (c) In order to provide for the expeditious and timely
implementation of this Section, the Department of Healthcare
and Family Services may adopt rules necessary to implement this
Section through the use of emergency rulemaking in accordance
with Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
The General Assembly finds that the adoption of rules to
implement this Section is deemed an emergency and necessary for
the public interest, safety, and welfare.
    (d) This Section is repealed on June 30, 2012.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.