SB0519ham001 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. William Delgado

Filed: 5/13/2005

09400SB0519ham001 LRB094 10618 DRJ 46487 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 519

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 519 on page 1, line 5, by changing "Section 9A-15" to "Sections 9A-15 and 12-4.7e"; and

on page 6, after line 11, by inserting the following:

"(305 ILCS 5/12-4.7e new)

Sec. 12-4.7e. Task force on applications and access to income supports and medical assistance.

(a) The General Assembly has created a number of programs that provide benefits and services to low-income people and families designed to encourage, support, and sustain their efforts to improve their economic status through employment. The General Assembly finds that, because of disparate federal requirements, complex program rules, agency staffing challenges, and other administrative infrastructure issues, many eligible people may not access these programs in a timely way.

(b) Therefore, the Departments of Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services shall jointly convene, or otherwise identify members of existing advisory bodies to jointly convene, a task force no later than October 1, 2005, to advise the departments in conducting a thorough review and analysis of policies and procedures concerning applications and determinations of eligibility for cash assistance, food stamps, and medical assistance provided under this Code and the Children's Health Insurance Program Act. The task force shall meet quarterly.

(c) At a minimum, the review and analysis shall encompass the following:

(1) Barriers encountered by applicants.

(2) Requirements for face-to-face interviews.

(3) Where applications may be made.

(4) Where open cases are maintained.

(5) Methodologies for counting income.

(6) Requirements for documenting or otherwise verifying eligibility criteria.

(7) Establishing the earliest possible date of application.

(8) Coordinating redeterminations of eligibility including the frequency of redeterminations.

(9) Acceptable methods for submitting information and required documentation whether in person, or by phone, facsimile, or electronic transmission.

(d) Based on the review and analysis, the departments and the task force shall jointly develop recommendations for appropriate changes in law, rules, policy, or process that will simplify, make uniform, or otherwise ease the processes by which potentially eligible persons may apply for and be found eligible for benefits. The recommendations shall include proposed timelines and priorities for implementation. In making the recommendations, the departments and the task force shall take into account and balance the following factors:

(1) The need to comply with federal law and regulations to maximize federal financial participation.

(2) The need to minimize administrative tasks for applicants, recipients, employees, medical providers, and authorized agents of the departments while maintaining program integrity.

(3) The costs and potential savings associated with proposed changes.

(4) The preservation of existing benefit levels for the substantial majority of recipients.

(5) The appropriateness and feasibility of obtaining waivers of federal law and regulations to maximize the goals of simplification and uniformity without loss of federal financial participation.

(e) The departments shall work in good faith to implement the recommendations to the extent they are appropriate and feasible given available resources and time.

(f) The departments shall jointly prepare a written report of the work, recommendations, and any administrative changes developed under this Section. The task force shall have the opportunity to review and comment on a draft of the report. The report shall be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2007.".