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1 | AN ACT concerning health.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Duties Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | amended by adding Section 2310-665 as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | (20 ILCS 2310/2310-665 new) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Sec. 2310-665. Breast cancer patient education. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (a) The General Assembly makes the following findings: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | (1) Annually, about 207,090 new cases of breast cancer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | are diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | (2) Breast cancer has a disproportionate and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | detrimental impact on African-American women and is the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | most common cancer among Hispanic and Latina women. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | (3) African-American women under the age of 40 have a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | greater incidence of breast cancer than Caucasian women of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | the same age. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | (4) Individuals undergoing surgery for breast cancer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | should give due consideration to the option of breast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | reconstructive surgery, either at the same time as the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | breast cancer surgery or at a later date. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | (5) According to the American Cancer Society, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | immediate breast reconstruction offers the advantage of |
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1 | combining the breast cancer surgery with the | ||||||
2 | reconstructive surgery and is cost effective. | ||||||
3 | (6) According to the American Cancer Society, delayed | ||||||
4 | breast reconstruction may be advantageous in women who | ||||||
5 | require post-surgical radiation or other treatments. | ||||||
6 | (7) A woman suffering from the loss of her breast may | ||||||
7 | not be a candidate for surgical breast reconstruction or | ||||||
8 | may choose not to undergo additional surgery and instead | ||||||
9 | choose breast prostheses. | ||||||
10 | (8) The federal Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of | ||||||
11 | 1998 requires health plans that offer breast cancer | ||||||
12 | coverage to also provide for breast reconstruction. | ||||||
13 | (9) Required coverage for breast reconstruction | ||||||
14 | includes all the necessary stages of reconstruction. | ||||||
15 | Surgery of the opposite breast for symmetry may be | ||||||
16 | required. Breast prostheses may be necessary. Other | ||||||
17 | sequelae of breast cancer treatment, such as lymphedema, | ||||||
18 | must be covered. | ||||||
19 | (10) Several states have enacted laws to require that | ||||||
20 | women receive information on their breast cancer treatment | ||||||
21 | and reconstruction options. | ||||||
22 | (b) In this Section: | ||||||
23 | "Hispanic" has the same meaning as in Section 1707 of | ||||||
24 | the federal Public Health Services Act. | ||||||
25 | "Racial and ethnic minority group" has the same meaning | ||||||
26 | as in Section 1707 of the federal Public Health Services |
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1 | Act. | ||||||
2 | (c) The Director shall provide for the planning and | ||||||
3 | implementation of an education campaign to inform breast cancer | ||||||
4 | patients, especially those in racial and ethnic minority | ||||||
5 | groups, anticipating surgery regarding the availability and | ||||||
6 | coverage of breast reconstruction, prostheses, and other | ||||||
7 | options. The
campaign shall include the dissemination, at a | ||||||
8 | minimum, on relevant State health Internet websites, including | ||||||
9 | the Department of Public Health's Internet website, of the | ||||||
10 | following information: | ||||||
11 | (1) Breast reconstruction is possible at the time of | ||||||
12 | breast cancer surgery or in a delayed fashion. | ||||||
13 | (2) Prostheses or breast forms may be available. | ||||||
14 | (3) Federal law mandates both public and private health | ||||||
15 | plans to include coverage of breast reconstruction and | ||||||
16 | prostheses. | ||||||
17 | (4) The patient has a right to choose the provider of | ||||||
18 | reconstructive care, including the potential transfer of | ||||||
19 | care to a surgeon that provides breast reconstructive care. | ||||||
20 | (5) The patient may opt to undergo breast | ||||||
21 | reconstruction in a delayed fashion for personal reasons or | ||||||
22 | after completion of all other breast cancer treatments. | ||||||
23 | The campaign may include dissemination of such other | ||||||
24 | information, whether developed by the Director or by other | ||||||
25 | entities, as the Director determines relevant.
The campaign | ||||||
26 | shall not specify, or be designed to serve as a tool to limit, |
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1 | the health care providers available to patients. | ||||||
2 | (d) In developing the information to be disseminated under | ||||||
3 | this Section, the Director shall consult with appropriate | ||||||
4 | medical societies and patient advocates related to breast | ||||||
5 | cancer, patient advocates representing racial and ethnic | ||||||
6 | minority groups, with a special emphasis on African-American | ||||||
7 | and Hispanic population's breast reconstructive surgery, and | ||||||
8 | breast prostheses and breast forms. | ||||||
9 | (e) Beginning no later than 2 years after the effective | ||||||
10 | date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly and | ||||||
11 | continuing each second year thereafter, the Director shall | ||||||
12 | submit to the General Assembly a report describing the | ||||||
13 | activities carried out under this Section during the preceding | ||||||
14 | 2 fiscal years, including evaluating the extent to which the | ||||||
15 | activities have been effective in improving the health of | ||||||
16 | racial and ethnic minority groups.
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