Public Act 93-0536

SB306 Enrolled                       LRB093 08552 DRJ 08778 b

    AN ACT in relation to 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 5-5.23 as follows:

    (305 ILCS 5/5-5.23 new)
    Sec. 5-5.23.  Prenatal and perinatal care. The Department
of Public Aid may provide reimbursement  under  this  Article
for  all prenatal and perinatal health care services that are
provided  for  the  purpose  of  preventing   low-birthweight
infants,  reducing  the  need  for  neonatal  intensive  care
hospital  services,  and  promoting  perinatal health.  These
services  may  include  comprehensive  risk  assessments  for
pregnant women, women with infants,  and  infants,  lactation
counseling,   nutrition   counseling,   childbirth   support,
psychosocial   counseling,   treatment   and   prevention  of
periodontal disease, and other  support  services  that  have
been  proven  to improve birth outcomes. The Department shall
maximize the use of preventive prenatal and perinatal  health
care  services  consistent  with federal statutes, rules, and
regulations. The Department shall develop a plan for prenatal
and perinatal preventive health care and  shall  present  the
plan to the General Assembly by January 1, 2004. On or before
January  1, 2006 and every 2 years thereafter, the Department
shall  report  to  the  General   Assembly   concerning   the
effectiveness  of prenatal and perinatal health care services
reimbursed under this Section in  preventing  low-birthweight
infants  and  reducing  the  need for neonatal intensive care
hospital  services.   Each  such  report  shall  include   an
evaluation  of  how  the  ratio  of expenditures for treating
low-birthweight  infants  compared  with  the  investment  in
promoting healthy births and infants in local community areas
throughout Illinois relates to healthy infant development  in
those areas.

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