HB0223 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 05884 RPM 45953 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB0223

Introduced 01/21/11, by Rep. Mary E. Flowers

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 4045/Act title
20 ILCS 4045/1
20 ILCS 4045/5
20 ILCS 4045/15
20 ILCS 4045/20
20 ILCS 4045/25
20 ILCS 4045/30 rep.
20 ILCS 4045/35 rep.

Amends the Health Care Justice Act. Changes the short title to the Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011. Provides that the mission goals of the Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force are to monitor the implementation of the federal health care reforms and make recommendations, report concerning additional reforms needed to ensure affordable health care, assess current programs, and issue recommendations concerning the implementation of a statewide health insurance plan offered by the State. Contains provisions concerning reports, public hearings, and research assessments. Effective July 1, 2011.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning health care.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Health Care Justice Act is amended by changing the title of the Act and Sections 1, 5, 15, 20, and 25 as follows:

(20 ILCS 4045/Act title)

An Act concerning health to create the Health Care Justice Act.

(20 ILCS 4045/1)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011.

(Source: P.A. 93-973, eff. 8-20-04.)

(20 ILCS 4045/5)

Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly recognizes that the U.S. census reported that on any given day an estimated 1,800,000 Illinoisans are without health insurance, and according to a March 2003 Robert Wood Johnson study, nearly 30% of the non-elderly Illinois population (3,122,000) during all or a large part of 2001 or 2002 were uninsured; a growing number of Illinoisans are under-insured, the consumer's share of the cost of health insurance is growing, coverage in benefit packages is decreasing, and record numbers of consumer complaints are lodged against managed care companies regarding access to necessary health care services. With new federal health care reform legislation the number of uninsured Illinoisans will decrease dramatically. However, there will still be tens of thousands of uninsured Illinoisans. The General Assembly believes that the State must work in cooperation with the federal government to implement these federal reforms effectively and in a thoughtful and expedited manner to assure access to quality health care for all residents of Illinois, and at the same time, the State must contain health care costs while maintaining and improving the quality of health care.

(Source: P.A. 93-973, eff. 8-20-04.)

(20 ILCS 4045/15)

Sec. 15. Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011 care access plan. On or before September 1, 2011 the Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force shall be created to accomplish, subject to appropriation, the following mission:

(1) Monitor the implementation of federal reforms and make recommendations. The Task Force shall monitor the implementation of federal reforms and make recommendations to the executive and legislative branches of Illinois government concerning implementation. The Task Force shall file with the General Assembly a recommendation report by January 1st of every year as it pertains to those reforms that will need to be implemented in that year. In addition, a quarterly assessment shall be developed as it pertains to how State government's process of implementing these federal reforms is progressing.

(2) Additional recommendations regarding reforms. The Task Force shall issue a report on March 1, 2013 regarding additional reforms needed to fully comply with Section 10 of this Act.

(3) Assessment of current programs. The Task Force shall issue recommendations and positions on a wide range of issues, as seen fit by Task Force members, as it pertains to existing programs and needed changes to these programs.

(4) Recommendations concerning the Illinois State Health Insurance Plan. By March 1, 2013, the Task Force shall recommend a plan for the implementation of a statewide health insurance plan offered by the State to be known as the Illinois State Health insurance Plan, under which any Illinois resident may purchase medical care and services available to recipients of medical assistance under the Public Aid Code. The Illinois State Health Insurance Plan shall be developed and offered as an affordable option that may be selected by a person in relation to the operation of a health insurance exchange in this State. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall administer the Illinois Health Insurance Plan, either directly or by contract, separate from the plans and programs that it otherwise administers. The Task Force shall include in its recommendations the structure and function of an oversight panel responsible for reviewing and approving the criteria, standards, and procedures for the operation of the plan and for conducting oversight of the operation of the Illinois Health Insurance Plan. The Illinois Health Insurance Plan shall:

(A) provide comprehensive health benefits that meet all of the federal requirements for credible coverage, including coverage for doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, mental health services, alcohol and substance abuse services, nursing home care, rehabilitation, home health services, eye care, and dental care; and

(B) be financed through various means, including, but not limited to, payments of premiums by enrollees, deductibles and copayments, income contributions by enrollees, federal funding, grants and contributions, appropriations of revenues generated under the Illinois Health Insurance Plan, and any other revenue designated by the General Assembly or purposed for health care or health care education. July 1, 2007, the State of Illinois is strongly encouraged to implement a health care access plan that does the following:

(1) provides access to a full range of preventive, acute, and long-term health care services;

(2) maintains and improves the quality of health care services offered to Illinois residents;

(3) provides portability of coverage, regardless of employment status;

(4) provides core benefits for all Illinois residents;

(5) encourages regional and local consumer participation;

(6) contains cost-containment measures;

(7) provides a mechanism for reviewing and implementing multiple approaches to preventive medicine based on new technologies; and

(8) promotes affordable coverage options for the small business market.

(Source: P.A. 93-973, eff. 8-20-04.)

(20 ILCS 4045/20)

Sec. 20. Adequate Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force. There is created a an Adequate Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force. The Task Force shall consist of 29 voting members appointed as follows: 5 shall be appointed by the Governor; 6 shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, 6 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, 6 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 6 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. The Task Force shall have a chairman and a vice-chairman who shall be elected by the voting members at the first meeting of the Task Force. The Director of Public Health or his or her designee, the Director of Aging or his or her designee, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee, the Director of Insurance or his or her designee, and the Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee shall represent their respective departments and shall be invited to attend Task Force meetings, but shall not be members of the Task Force. The members of the Task Force shall be appointed within 60 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly and hold its first meeting within 30 days thereafter. The departments of State government represented on the Task Force shall work cooperatively to provide administrative support for the Task Force; the Department of Public Health shall be the primary agency in providing that administrative support.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)

(20 ILCS 4045/25)

Sec. 25. Public hearings.

(a) The Task Force shall seek public input on all 4 of its mission goals the development of the health care access plan by holding 4 public hearings each year throughout the State a public hearing in each Illinois congressional district starting no later than January 1, 2005 and ending on November 30, 2005. Each State Representative and State Senator located in each such congressional district shall be invited to participate in each the hearing in that district and help to gather input from interested parties. A web site for the Task Force shall be developed and linked to the Governor's home page for input to be provided and to keep the public informed. The Task Force's web site shall be specifically highlighted and have independent pages reporting all activities and linkages for people to access. Minutes from all of the Task Force's meetings shall be available on the web site, and a hard copy of this information shall also be made available for those persons without access to the Task Force's web site. The Task Force may also consult with health care providers, health care consumers, hospitals, labor unions, businesses, insurers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other appropriate individuals and organizations to assist in the development of the health care access plan.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2012 September 1, 2004, the Illinois Department of Public Health, subject to appropriation or the availability of other funds for such purposes and using a public request for proposals process, shall contract with an independent research entity experienced in assessing the implementation of health care reforms, health care financing, and health care delivery models. Upon the request of at least one-third one-fourth of the Task Force members, the research entity shall be available to the Task Force for the purpose of assessing other issues that Task Force members deem necessary financial costs and the different health care models being discussed. All inquiries made by Task Force members to the independent research entity shall be made available on the Task Force's web site.

(Source: P.A. 93-973, eff. 8-20-04.)

(20 ILCS 4045/30 rep.)

(20 ILCS 4045/35 rep.)

Section 90. The Health Care Justice Act is amended by repealing Sections 30 and 35.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2011.