103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5299

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2305/6.5 new
215 ILCS 5/356z.71 new
410 ILCS 305/5.6 new
730 ILCS 125/17.10

    Amends the Department of Public Health Act. Establishes the role of HIV Treatment Innovation Coordinator to be housed within the Department. Provides that the Department shall create and fill the Coordinator role within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires the Coordinator to develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to adopt a Rapid Start model for HIV treatment as the standard of care. Requires compensation and benefits for the Coordinator be at the Program Director level. Describes the specific job responsibilities of the Coordinator. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed in this State on or after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for home test kits for sexually transmitted infections, including any laboratory costs of processing the home test kit, that are deemed medically necessary or appropriate and ordered directly by a clinician or furnished through a standing order for patient use based on clinical guidelines and individual patient health needs. Amends the AIDS Confidentiality Act. Creates the Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Provides that Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program applications shall be processed within 72 hours after the time of submission. Provides for conditional approval of Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program applications within 24 hours after time of submission. Requires Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program applicants to document residency within the State of Illinois. Provides for 8 Rapid Start for HIV Treatment pilot sites established by the Department of Public Health. Provides that the Department shall publish a report on the operation of the pilot program 15 months after the pilot sites have launched. Establishes requirements for the report, requires that the report be shared with the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, and requires that the report be made available on the Department's Internet website. Amends the County Jail Act. Creates new annual adult correctional facility public inspection report requirements on the topics of HIV and AIDS.


LRB103 36537 CES 66644 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5299LRB103 36537 CES 66644 b

1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Public Health Act is amended
5by adding Section 6.5 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2305/6.5 new)
7    Sec. 6.5. HIV Treatment Innovation Coordinator.
8    (a) Within 6 months after the effective date of this
9amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Department
10of Public Health shall create and fill the position of "HIV
11Treatment Innovation Coordinator" within the HIV Section and
12shall employ a full-time person to serve in this position. The
13HIV Treatment Innovation Coordinator shall develop and execute
14a comprehensive strategy to adopt a Rapid Start model for HIV
15treatment as the standard of care, aligning with industry
16standards informed by the most current guidance of the Centers
17for Disease Control and Prevention on HIV care and treatment.
18    (b) The HIV Treatment Innovation Coordinator employed by
19the Department shall be compensated at a rate that is
20comparable to the rate of compensation for a Program Director
21and shall be provided benefits similar to those of a Program
22Director. The HIV Treatment Innovation Coordinator shall also
23be provided similar means and resources as those supplied to a

 

 

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1Program Director. The Department shall not modify any current
2position to meet these requirements. The position of HIV
3Treatment Innovation Coordinator shall be created and filled
4anew, as set forth in this Section.
5    (c) The HIV Treatment Innovation Coordinator shall have
6the following responsibilities:
7        (1) The Coordinator shall develop and execute a
8    comprehensive strategy for the adoption of the Rapid Start
9    model for HIV treatment, aligning with public health
10    objectives outlined in the Getting to Zero Illinois Plan,
11    including the process and qualifications for choosing the
12    8 rapid start pilots.
13        (2) The Coordinator shall support the launch of 8
14    rapid start pilots within 12 months after the effective
15    date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.
16        (3) The Coordinator shall establish coordination
17    efforts between pilot sites and health care providers,
18    community organizations, and stakeholders for the
19    successful implementation of the Rapid Start for HIV
20    treatment model.
21        (4) The Coordinator shall provide educational
22    resources, technical assistance, and training to
23    healthcare professionals at pilot sites to ensure a
24    thorough understanding and effective implementation of
25    Rapid Start for HIV treatment protocols.
26        (5) The Coordinator shall facilitate regular data

 

 

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1    collection from Rapid Start for HIV treatment pilot sites
2    to optimize service delivery and monitor equitable access
3    to communities disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS.
4        (6) The Coordinator shall be responsible for the
5    management and allocation of resources dedicated to the
6    implementation of the Rapid Start for HIV treatment model,
7    including technical assistance, capacity building, and
8    grant management.
9        (7) The Coordinator shall be responsible for creating
10    and disseminating the report on the operation of the pilot
11    program 15 months after the pilot sites have launched as
12    required under the AIDS Confidentiality Act. The report
13    shall include:
14            (i) the number of enrolled participants; and
15            (ii) the length of time from initial diagnosis or
16        referral to the start of HIV treatment, and, when
17        available, the length of time during which
18        participants were able to achieve an undetectable
19        viral load.
20    Data shall also include demographic data on the racial,
21ethnic, age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation,
22gender identity, and primary or preferred language of program
23participants in accordance with the Data Governance and
24Organization to Support Equity and Racial Justice Act. The
25report shall include the Department's recommendations
26concerning the continued operation of the Rapid Start for HIV

 

 

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1treatment pilot program and its expansion or progress towards
2becoming the standard of care for HIV treatment. The contents
3of the report shall be in accordance with the AIDS
4Confidentiality Act. The Coordinator shall share the report
5with the Illinois General Assembly, the Governor's Office and
6shall make it publicly available on the Department of Public
7Health's Internet website.
8    Implementation of this Section is subject to
9appropriations made to the Illinois Department of Public
10Health for this purpose.
 
11    Section 10. The Illinois Insurance Code is amended by
12adding Section 356z.71 as follows:
 
13    (215 ILCS 5/356z.71 new)
14    Sec. 356z.71. Coverage for home test kits for sexually
15transmitted infections (STIs).
16    (a) As used in this Section, "home test kit" means a
17product used for a test recommended by the federal Centers for
18Disease Control and Prevention guidelines or the United States
19Preventive Services Task Force that has received a certificate
20of waiver under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments
21to the federal Public Health Services Act, has been cleared or
22approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or
23has been developed by a laboratory in accordance with
24established regulations and quality standards, to allow

 

 

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1individuals to self-collect specimens for STIs, including HIV,
2remotely at a location outside of a clinical setting.
3    (b) An individual or group policy of accident and health
4insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed in this State
5after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage for home test
6kits for sexually transmitted infections, including any
7laboratory costs of processing the kit, that are deemed
8medically necessary or appropriate and ordered directly by a
9clinician or furnished through a standing order for patient
10use based on clinical guidelines and individual patient health
11needs.
12        (1) A commercial health care plan is required to cover
13    the services outlined in this subsection when ordered for
14    an enrollee by an in-network provider.
15        (2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a
16    policy subject to this subsection shall not impose a
17    deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other
18    cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided. The
19    provisions of this subsection do not apply to coverage of
20    procedures to the extent such coverage would disqualify a
21    high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health
22    savings account pursuant to the federal Internal Revenue
23    Code, 26 U.S.C. 223.
24        (3) Except as otherwise authorized under this Section,
25    a policy shall not impose any restrictions or delays on
26    the coverage required under this Section.

 

 

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1        (4) If a plan or issuer uses a network of providers,
2    nothing in this Section shall be construed to require
3    coverage or to prohibit the plan or issuer from imposing
4    cost-sharing for items or services described in this
5    Section that are provided or delivered by an
6    out-of-network provider, unless the plan or issuer does
7    not have in its network a provider who is able to or is
8    willing to provide the applicable items or services.
 
9    Section 15. The AIDS Confidentiality Act is amended by
10adding Section 5.6 as follows:
 
11    (410 ILCS 305/5.6 new)
12    Sec. 5.6. Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
13    (a) The purpose of this Section is to expand and assist
14with implementation of the Rapid Start for HIV treatment
15model. The pilot sites will allow the development of a
16coordinated system of health care services to provide timely
17and quality HIV treatment. This will occur by increasing the
18capacity of the Department of Public Health and build toward
19establishing the Rapid Start model as the standard of care for
20HIV treatment. This program shall be known as the Illinois
21AIDS Drug Assistance Program or Illinois ADAP.
22    (b) In this Section:
23    "Conditional approval" means Illinois ADAP approval within
2424 hours and allows for attestation of eligibility

 

 

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1requirements. An applicant seeking conditional approval must
2document residency in the State of Illinois.
3    "Rapid Start for HIV Treatment" means initiating
4antiretroviral therapy within 7 days after initial diagnosis
5or within 7 days after referral to HIV medical care as defined
6by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
7recommendations for HIV treatment.
8    (c) Once a complete Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program
9application is submitted with all necessary supporting
10documents, processing of the application shall occur within 72
11hours after the time of submission.
12    (d) Illinois ADAP shall establish a pathway for
13conditional approval of Illinois ADAP enrollment, with the
14requirement that applicants then submit a full Illinois ADAP
15application within 30 days after receiving conditional
16approval.
17    (e) The Department of Public Health shall establish 8
18Rapid Start for HIV Treatment pilot sites. Upon referral from
19an HIV testing site, the program shall provide funding for and
20coordination of health care services to support treatment
21goals. The program shall provide ancillary services,
22pharmaceutical drug assistance, and case management services
23to participants while the appropriate transition is made for
24continuity of care within the Rapid Start for HIV treatment
25model timeline. The Department may adopt rules to implement
26this pilot program in accordance with industry standards

 

 

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1informed by the most current Centers for Disease Control and
2Prevention guidance on HIV care and treatment.
3    (f) The Pilot sites shall abide by the following
4principles:
5        (1) Nothing About Us Without Us: Pilot site programs
6    and services shall be formulated with transparency,
7    community involvement, and direct ongoing input by people
8    living with and vulnerable to HIV.
9        (2) Equity: Pilot site programs and services shall
10    provide equitable support, services, and resources to all
11    participants and ensure accessibility to the greatest
12    extent possible. They shall also be established in
13    underserved communities.
14        (3) Self-Determination: Pilot site programs and
15    services shall prioritize individual dignity and autonomy
16    in decision-making while encouraging people to connect
17    with additional services that promote health and
18    well-being.
19        (4) Reduce Stigma: Pilot site programs and services
20    shall affirm the humanity and dignity of people living
21    with or vulnerable to HIV and shall operate in a way that
22    is welcoming to reduce stigma and build trust.
23        (5) Safe Spaces: Pilot site programs and services
24    shall prioritize relationship-building and trust among
25    partners, staff, and participants to create safe spaces.
26    (g) The Department, in cooperation with the lead agency

 

 

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1designated under subsection (c), shall publish a report on the
2operation of the pilot program 15 months after the pilot sites
3have launched. The Department shall share the report with the
4General Assembly and the Governor's Office and shall make it
5publicly available on its Internet website. The report shall
6include:
7        (1) the number offers made for enrollment;
8        (2) the number of enrolled participants;
9        (3) the number and reasons of patients declined for
10    service; and
11        (4) the length of time from initial diagnosis or
12    referral to the start of HIV treatment, and, when
13    available, the length of time participants were able to
14    achieve an undetectable viral load.
15    Data shall also include demographic data on the racial,
16ethnic, age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation,
17gender identity, and primary or preferred language of program
18participants in accordance with the Data Governance and
19Organization to Support Equity and Racial Justice Act. The
20report shall include the Department's recommendations
21concerning the continued operation of the Rapid Start for HIV
22treatment pilot program and its expansion or progress towards
23becoming the standard of care for HIV treatment. The contents
24of the report shall be in accordance with the AIDS
25Confidentiality Act.
26    Implementation of this Section is subject to

 

 

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1appropriations made to the Illinois Department of Public
2Health for this purpose.
 
3    Section 20. The County Jail Act is amended by changing
4Section 17.10 as follows:
 
5    (730 ILCS 125/17.10)
6    Sec. 17.10. Requirements in connection with HIV/AIDS.
7    (a) In each county other than Cook, during the medical
8admissions exam, the warden of the jail, a correctional
9officer at the jail, or a member of the jail medical staff must
10provide the prisoner with appropriate written information
11concerning human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired
12immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The Department of Public
13Health and community-based organizations certified to provide
14HIV/AIDS testing must provide these informational materials to
15the warden at no cost to the county. The warden, a correctional
16officer, or a member of the jail medical staff must inform the
17prisoner of the option of being tested for infection with HIV
18by a certified local community-based agency or other available
19medical provider at no charge to the prisoner.
20    (b) In Cook County, during the medical admissions exam, an
21employee of the Cook County Health & Hospitals System must
22provide the prisoner with appropriate information in writing,
23verbally or by video or other electronic means concerning
24human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired

 

 

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1immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and must also provide the
2prisoner with option of testing for infection with HIV or any
3other identified causative agent of AIDS, as well as
4counseling in connection with such testing. The Cook County
5Health & Hospitals System may provide the inmate with opt-out
6human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, as defined in
7Section 4 of the AIDS Confidentiality Act, unless the inmate
8refuses. If opt-out HIV testing is conducted, the Cook County
9Health & Hospitals System shall place signs in English,
10Spanish, and other languages as needed in multiple, highly
11visible locations in the area where HIV testing is conducted
12informing inmates that they will be tested for HIV unless they
13refuse, and refusal or acceptance of testing shall be
14documented in the inmate's medical record. Pre-test
15information shall be provided to the inmate and informed
16consent obtained from the inmate as required in subsection (q)
17of Section 3 and Section 5 of the AIDS Confidentiality Act. The
18Cook County Health & Hospitals System shall follow procedures
19established by the Department of Public Health to conduct HIV
20testing and testing to confirm positive HIV test results. All
21aspects of HIV testing shall comply with the requirements of
22the AIDS Confidentiality Act, including delivery of test
23results, as determined by the Cook County Health & Hospitals
24System in consultation with the Illinois Department of Public
25Health. Nothing in this Section shall require the Cook County
26Health & Hospitals System to offer HIV testing to inmates who

 

 

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1are known to be infected with HIV. The Department of Public
2Health and community-based organizations certified to provide
3HIV/AIDS testing may provide these informational materials to
4the Bureau at no cost to the county. The testing provided under
5this subsection (b) shall consist of a test approved by the
6Illinois Department of Public Health to determine the presence
7of HIV infection, based upon recommendations of the United
8States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the test
9result is positive, a reliable supplemental test based upon
10recommendations of the United States Centers for Disease
11Control and Prevention shall be administered.
12    (b-5) The Department of Corrections shall include the
13following information in the annual adult correctional
14facility public inspection report for each county:
15        (1) whether the warden of the jail, a correctional
16    officer at the jail, or a member of the jail medical staff
17    provide the prisoner with appropriate written information
18    concerning HIV and AIDS during the medical admissions
19    exam;
20        (2) whether the warden, a correctional officer, or a
21    member of the jail medical staff informs the prisoner of
22    the option of being tested for infection with HIV by a
23    certified local community-based agency or other available
24    medical provider at no charge to the prisoner;
25        (3) whether the warden of the jail makes appropriate
26    written information or visual aids concerning HIV/AIDS

 

 

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1    available to every visitor to the jail;
2        (4) whether the warden of the jail has contacted the
3    Department of Public Health or community-based
4    organizations certified to provide HIV/AIDS testing to
5    obtain informational materials within the past year;
6        (5) for Cook County, whether an employee of the Cook
7    County Health and Hospitals System provides the prisoner
8    with appropriate information in writing, verbally, or by
9    video or other electronic means concerning HIV and AIDS
10    during the medical admissions exam; and
11        (6) for Cook County, whether an employee of the Cook
12    County Health and Hospitals System provides the prisoner
13    with the option of testing for infection with HIV or any
14    other identified causative agent of AIDS, as well as
15    counseling in connection with such testing;
16    The Department of Public Health and community-based
17organizations certified to provide HIV/AIDS testing shall
18provide these informational materials to the warden at no cost
19to the office of the county sheriff.
20    (c) In each county, the warden of the jail must make
21appropriate written information concerning HIV/AIDS available
22to every visitor to the jail. This information must include
23information concerning persons or entities to contact for
24local counseling and testing. The Department of Public Health
25and community-based organizations certified to provide
26HIV/AIDS testing must provide these informational materials to

 

 

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1the warden at no cost to the office of the county sheriff.
2    (d) Implementation of this Section is subject to
3appropriation.
4(Source: P.A. 97-244, eff. 8-4-11; 97-323, eff. 8-12-11;
597-813, eff. 7-13-12; 98-1046, eff. 1-1-15.)