SB3962 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 25684 KTG 34978 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB3962

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

305 ILCS 5/5-5.05d new
305 ILCS 5/5-5.05e new
305 ILCS 5/5-5.05f new
305 ILCS 5/5-5.05g new
305 ILCS 5/5-5.05h new
305 ILCS 5/5-5.06c new
305 ILCS 5/5-5.06d new

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop a program designed to provide over-the-phone academic detailing and clinical consultation from a qualified provider to behavioral health providers and providers in academic medical settings who need assistance on how best to care for patients with a severe mental illness or a developmental disability. Requires the Department to track all inpatient and residential detoxification and treatment beds that are available for medical assistance beneficiaries and for provider referrals. Requires the Department to record provider trainings and publish the trainings online within one month of the training, whenever feasible, to be available on demand for staff who are unable to attend. Provides that beginning on January 1, 2023, the Department shall cover services rendered by virtual peer support specialists under the medical assistance program for behavioral health and substance use support. Requires the Department and the Department of Human Services to collaborate to review coverage and billing requirements for substance use prevention and recovery and mental health services with the goal of identifying disparities and streamlining coverage and billing requirements to reduce the administrative burden for providers and medical assistance beneficiaries. Requires the Department to increase the rate for prenatal and postpartum visits to no less than the rate for an adult well visit, including any applicable add-ons, beginning on January 1, 2023. Requires the Department to evaluate the rate for external cephalic versions and increase the rate by an amount determined by the Department to promote safer birthing options for pregnant individuals, beginning on January 1, 2023.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning public aid.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by adding Sections 5-5.05d, 5-5.05e, 5-5.05f, 5-5.05g, 5-5.05h, 5-5.06c, and 5-5.06d as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.05d new)

Sec. 5-5.05d. Academic detailing for behavioral health providers. The Department shall develop, in collaboration with associations representing behavioral health providers, a program designed to provide over-the-phone academic detailing and clinical consultation from a qualified provider to behavioral health providers and providers in academic medical settings who need assistance on how best to care for patients with a severe mental illness or a developmental disability. The Department shall include the phone number established under the program on its website and notify providers that the service is available. The Department may create an in-person option if adequate staff is available. To the extent practicable, the Department shall build upon this service to address worker shortages and the availability of specialty services.

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.05e new)

Sec. 5-5.05e. Tracking beds for detoxification and treatment. The Department shall track, or contract with an organization to track by level of care, all inpatient and residential detoxification and treatment beds that are available for medical assistance beneficiaries and for provider referrals. The Department shall update the tracking daily and publish the availability of beds by level of care on its website.

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.05f new)

Sec. 5-5.05f. Access to on demand training. To improve access to provider education, the Department shall record provider trainings and publish the trainings online within one month of the training, whenever feasible, to be available on demand for staff who are unable to attend.

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.05g new)

Sec. 5-5.05g. Medical assistance coverage for virtual peer supports. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the Department shall cover services rendered by virtual peer support specialists under the medical assistance program for behavioral health and substance use support. The Department shall allow reimbursement for services delivered through video conferencing or by phone. As used in this Section, a "peer support specialist" means an individual who:

(1) is a self-identified current or former recipient of behavioral health services who has the ability to support other individuals diagnosed with a mental illness or substance use disorder;

(2) is affiliated with a community mental health center, behavioral health clinic, substance use prevention and recovery provider agency, or federally qualified health center; and

(A) is certified in accordance with applicable State law to provide peer support services in behavioral health settings; or

(B) is certified as qualified to furnish peer support services under a certification process consistent with the National Practice Guidelines for Peer Supporters and inclusive of the core competencies identified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the Core Competencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral Health Services.

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.05h new)

Sec. 5-5.05h. Alignment of substance use prevention and recovery and mental health policy. The Department and the Department of Human Services shall collaborate to review coverage and billing requirements for substance use prevention and recovery and mental health services with the goal of identifying disparities and streamlining coverage and billing requirements to reduce the administrative burden for providers and medical assistance beneficiaries.

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.06c new)

Sec. 5-5.06c. Access to prenatal and postpartum care. To ensure access to high quality prenatal and postpartum care and to promote continuity of care for pregnant individuals, the Department shall increase the rate for prenatal and postpartum visits to no less than the rate for an adult well visit, including any applicable add-ons, beginning on January 1, 2023.

(305 ILCS 5/5-5.06d new)

Sec. 5-5.06d. External cephalic version rate. To encourage provider use of external cephalic versions and decrease the rates of cesarean sections in Illinois, the Department shall evaluate the rate for external cephalic versions and increase the rate by an amount determined by the Department to promote safer birthing options for pregnant individuals, beginning on January 1, 2023.