Rep. Mary E. Flowers

Filed: 3/1/2011

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 223

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 223 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
7recognizes that the U.S. census reported that on any given day
8an estimated 1,800,000 Illinoisans are without health
9insurance. With new federal health care reform legislation the
10number of uninsured Illinoisans will decrease dramatically.
11However, there will still be tens of thousands of uninsured
12Illinoisans. The General Assembly believes that the State must
13work in cooperation with the federal government to implement
14these federal reforms effectively and in a thoughtful and
15expedited manner.
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011
2plan. On or before September 1, 2011 the Health Care Justice
3Implementation Task Force shall be created to accomplish,
4subject to appropriation, the following mission:
5        (1) Monitor the implementation of federal reforms and
6    make recommendations. The Task Force shall monitor the
7    implementation of federal reforms and make recommendations
8    to the executive and legislative branches of Illinois
9    government concerning implementation. The Task Force shall
10    file with the General Assembly a recommendation report by
11    January 1st of every year as it pertains to those reforms
12    that will need to be implemented in that year. In addition,
13    a quarterly assessment shall be developed as it pertains to
14    how State government's process of implementing these
15    federal reforms is progressing.
16        (2) Additional recommendations regarding reforms. The
17    Task Force shall issue a report on March 1, 2013 regarding
18    additional reforms needed to fully comply with Section 10
19    of this Act.
20        (3) Assessment of current programs. The Task Force
21    shall issue recommendations and positions on a wide range
22    of issues, as seen fit by Task Force members, as it
23    pertains to existing programs and needed changes to these
24    programs.
25        (4) Recommendations concerning the Illinois State
26    Health Insurance Plan. By March 1, 2013, the Task Force

 

 

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1    shall recommend a plan for the implementation of a
2    statewide health insurance plan offered by the State to be
3    known as the Illinois State Health insurance Plan, under
4    which any Illinois resident may purchase medical care and
5    services available to recipients of medical assistance
6    under the Public Aid Code. The Illinois State Health
7    Insurance Plan shall be developed and offered as an
8    affordable option that may be selected by a person in
9    relation to the operation of a health insurance exchange in
10    this State. The Department of Healthcare and Family
11    Services shall administer the Illinois Health Insurance
12    Plan, either directly or by contract, separate from the
13    plans and programs that it otherwise administers. The Task
14    Force shall include in its recommendations the structure
15    and function of an oversight panel responsible for
16    reviewing and approving the criteria, standards, and
17    procedures for the operation of the plan and for conducting
18    oversight of the operation of the Illinois Health Insurance
19    Plan. The Illinois Health Insurance Plan shall:
20            (A) provide comprehensive health benefits that
21        meet all of the federal requirements for credible
22        coverage, including coverage for doctor visits,
23        hospital care, prescriptions, mental health services,
24        alcohol and substance abuse services, nursing home
25        care, rehabilitation, home health services, eye care,
26        and dental care; and

 

 

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1            (B) be financed through various means, including,
2        but not limited to, payments of premiums by enrollees,
3        deductibles and copayments, income contributions by
4        enrollees, federal funding, grants and contributions,
5        appropriations of revenues generated under the
6        Illinois Health Insurance Plan, and any other revenue
7        designated by the General Assembly or purposed for
8        health care or health care education.
 
9    Section 15. Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force.
10There is created a Health Care Justice Implementation Task
11Force. The Task Force shall consist of 29 voting members
12appointed as follows: 13 shall be appointed by the Governor; 4
13shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, 4 shall be
14appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, 4 shall be
15appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 4
16shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
17Representatives. The Task Force shall have a chairman and a
18vice-chairman who shall be elected by the voting members at the
19first meeting of the Task Force. The Director of Public Health
20or his or her designee, the Director of Aging or his or her
21designee, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his
22or her designee, the Director of Insurance or his or her
23designee, and the Secretary of Human Services or his or her
24designee shall represent their respective departments and
25shall be invited to attend Task Force meetings, but shall not

 

 

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1be members of the Task Force. The members of the Task Force
2shall be appointed within 60 days after the effective date of
3this Act and hold its first meeting within 30 days thereafter.
4The departments of State government represented on the Task
5Force shall work cooperatively to provide administrative
6support for the Task Force; the Department of Healthcare and
7Family Services and the Department of Insurance shall be the
8primary agencies in providing that administrative support.
 
9    Section 20. Public hearings. The Task Force shall seek
10public input on all 4 of its mission goals by holding 4 public
11hearings each year throughout the State. Each State
12Representative and State Senator shall be invited to
13participate in each hearing and help to gather input from
14interested parties. A web site for the Task Force shall be
15developed and linked to the Governor's home page for input to
16be provided and to keep the public informed. The Task Force's
17web site shall be specifically highlighted and have independent
18pages reporting all activities and linkages for people to
19access. Minutes from all of the Task Force's meetings shall be
20available on the web site, and a hard copy of this information
21shall also be made available for those persons without access
22to the Task Force's web site. The Task Force may also consult
23with health care providers, health care consumers, hospitals,
24labor unions, businesses, insurers, pharmaceutical
25manufacturers, and other appropriate individuals and

 

 

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1organizations to assist in the development of the health care
2access plan.
 
3    (20 ILCS 4045/Act rep.)
4    Section 25. The Health Care Justice Act is repealed.
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
62011.".