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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, Illinois' Medicaid program includes coverage for | ||||||
3 | durable medical equipment; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Durable medical equipment covered under Illinois' | ||||||
5 | Medicaid program includes augmentative and alternative | ||||||
6 | communication devices; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Augmentative and alternative communication | ||||||
8 | devices are used by children and adults with disabilities with | ||||||
9 | severely limited or no speech due to various disorders, | ||||||
10 | including cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, | ||||||
11 | autism, aphasia, verbal apraxia, and stroke; and
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12 | WHEREAS, An evaluation, diagnosis, and recommendation by a | ||||||
13 | licensed speech and language pathologist, including use of a | ||||||
14 | device on a trial basis and documentation of the results, is | ||||||
15 | required before the acquisition of an augmentative and | ||||||
16 | alternative communication device may be authorized for an | ||||||
17 | individual under Medicaid; and
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18 | WHEREAS, A tablet device with appropriate applications is | ||||||
19 | the augmentative and alternative communication device | ||||||
20 | recommended by licensed speech and language pathologists for | ||||||
21 | some individuals with communication disabilities, based upon |
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1 | their individual needs and circumstances following an | ||||||
2 | evaluation; and | ||||||
3 | WHEREAS, A tablet device and applications may be an | ||||||
4 | appropriate and less expensive augmentative and alternative | ||||||
5 | communication device for individuals with disabilities; and | ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, Several other states' Medicaid programs allow for | ||||||
7 | the acquisition of tablet devices and applications for | ||||||
8 | individuals in need of augmentative and alternative | ||||||
9 | communication; and | ||||||
10 | WHEREAS, Illinois' Medicaid program does not currently | ||||||
11 | approve the acquisition of tablet devices and applications as | ||||||
12 | augmentative and alternative communication devices; therefore, | ||||||
13 | be it
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14 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
15 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
16 | there is created the Augmentative and Alternative | ||||||
17 | Communications Task Force within the Department of Healthcare | ||||||
18 | and Family Services to study whether it would be in the best | ||||||
19 | interests of the State of Illinois and its residents with | ||||||
20 | communications disabilities to include tablet devices with | ||||||
21 | appropriate applications as durable medical equipment covered | ||||||
22 | under the Medicaid program; and be it further
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1 | RESOLVED, That the membership of the Task Force shall be | ||||||
2 | appointed by the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, | ||||||
3 | shall not receive compensation for serving on the Task Force, | ||||||
4 | and must include appropriate staff from the Department of | ||||||
5 | Healthcare and Family Services, including at least one licensed | ||||||
6 | speech and language pathologist, other experts in the field of | ||||||
7 | augmentative and alternative communication, and a | ||||||
8 | representative of Illinois' federally-funded assistive | ||||||
9 | technology program; and be it further | ||||||
10 | RESOLVED, That the Department of Healthcare and Family | ||||||
11 | Services shall facilitate and convene the Task Force and | ||||||
12 | provide administrative support to the Task Force; the Task | ||||||
13 | Force shall meet at least three times, the first meeting to be | ||||||
14 | held no later than September 3, 2013, and fully review and | ||||||
15 | assess the potential benefits, including cost savings, of | ||||||
16 | covering tablet devices and applications as durable medical | ||||||
17 | equipment for individuals with communications disabilities, | ||||||
18 | and shall issue a report to the General Assembly and to the | ||||||
19 | Governor of its findings and recommendations not later than | ||||||
20 | March 1, 2014; and be it further | ||||||
21 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
22 | delivered to the Director of Healthcare and Family Services.
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