820 ILCS 305/25.5

(820 ILCS 305/25.5)

Sec. 25.5. Unlawful acts; penalties.

(a) It is unlawful for any person, company, corporation, insurance carrier, healthcare provider, or other entity to:

(1) Intentionally present or cause to be presented any false or fraudulent claim for the payment of any workers' compensation benefit.

(2) Intentionally make or cause to be made any false or fraudulent material statement or material representation for the purpose of obtaining or denying any workers' compensation benefit.

(3) Intentionally make or cause to be made any false or fraudulent statements with regard to entitlement to workers' compensation benefits with the intent to prevent an injured worker from making a legitimate claim for any workers' compensation benefits.

(4) Intentionally prepare or provide an invalid, false, or counterfeit certificate of insurance as proof of workers' compensation insurance.

(5) Intentionally make or cause to be made any false or fraudulent material statement or material representation for the purpose of obtaining workers' compensation insurance at less than the proper amount for that insurance.

(6) Intentionally make or cause to be made any false or fraudulent material statement or material representation on an initial or renewal self-insurance application or accompanying financial statement for the purpose of obtaining self-insurance status or reducing the amount of security that may be required to be furnished pursuant to Section 4 of this Act.

(7) Intentionally make or cause to be made any false or fraudulent material statement to the Department of Insurance's fraud and insurance non-compliance unit in the course of an investigation of fraud or insurance non-compliance.

(8) Intentionally assist, abet, solicit, or conspire with any person, company, or other entity to commit any of the acts in paragraph (1), (2), (3), (5), (6), or (7) of this subsection (a).

(8.5) Intentionally assist, abet, solicit, or conspire with any person, company, or other entity to commit any of the acts in paragraph (4) of this subsection (a).

(9) Intentionally present a bill or statement for the payment for medical services that were not provided.

For the purposes of paragraphs (2), (3), (5), (6), (7), and (9), the term "statement" includes any writing, notice, proof of injury, bill for services, hospital or doctor records and reports, or X-ray and test results.

(b) Sentences for violations of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9) of subsection (a) are as follows:

(1) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is $300 or less is a Class A misdemeanor.

(2) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is more than $300 but not more than $10,000 is a Class 3 felony.

(3) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is more than $10,000 but not more than $100,000 is a Class 2 felony.

(4) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is more than $100,000 is a Class 1 felony.

(5) A person convicted under this subsection shall be ordered to pay monetary restitution to the injured worker, insurance company, self-insured entity, or any other person for any financial loss sustained as a result of a violation of this Section. An order of restitution also includes expenses incurred and paid by the State of Illinois, an insurance company, a self-insured entity, an injured worker, or any other person in connection with any medical evaluation or treatment services. For the purposes of this subsection, "person" includes any legal entity created under Section 535 of the Illinois Insurance Code.

For the purposes of this subsection, where the exact value of property obtained or attempted to be obtained is either not alleged or is not specifically set by the terms of a policy of insurance, the value of the property shall be the fair market replacement value of the property claimed to be lost, the reasonable costs of reimbursing a vendor or other claimant for services to be rendered, or both. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an injured worker, an insurance company, self-insured entity, or any other person suffering financial loss sustained as a result of violation of this Section may seek restitution, including court costs and attorney's fees in a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b-5) Sentences for violations of paragraphs (4) and (8.5) of subsection (a) are as follows:

(1) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is $10,000 or less, is a Class 3 felony and a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, payable to the Injured Workers' Benefit Fund, shall be assessed.

(2) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is more than $10,000, but not more than $100,000, is a Class 2 felony and a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, payable to the Injured Workers' Benefit Fund, shall be assessed.

(3) A violation in which the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained is more than $100,000 is a Class 1 felony and a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, payable to the Injured Workers' Benefit Fund, shall be assessed.

(4) A person convicted under this subsection shall be ordered to pay monetary restitution to the injured worker, insurance company, self-insured entity, or any other person for any financial loss sustained as a result of a violation of this Section. An order of restitution also includes expenses incurred and paid by the State of Illinois, an insurance company, a self-insured entity, an injured person, or any other person in connection with any medical evaluation or treatment services.

For the purposes of this subsection, the value of the property obtained or attempted to be obtained shall be the amount of premiums saved by use of the invalid, false, or counterfeit certificate of insurance, the value of any payments under any contract obtained by reliance on the invalid, false, or counterfeit certificate of insurance, or both. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an injured worker, insurance company, self-insured entity, or any other person suffering financial loss sustained as a result of violation of this subsection may seek restitution, including court costs and attorney's fees in a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(c) The Department of Insurance shall establish a fraud and insurance non-compliance unit responsible for investigating incidences of fraud and insurance non-compliance pursuant to this Section. The size of the staff of the unit shall be subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. It shall be the duty of the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit to determine the identity of insurance carriers, employers, employees, or other persons or entities who have violated the fraud and insurance non-compliance provisions of this Section. The fraud and insurance non-compliance unit shall report violations of the fraud and insurance non-compliance provisions of this Section to the Special Prosecutions Bureau of the Criminal Division of the Office of the Attorney General or to the State's Attorney of the county in which the offense allegedly occurred, either of whom has the authority to prosecute violations under this Section.

With respect to the subject of any investigation being conducted, the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit shall have the general power of subpoena of the Department of Insurance, including the authority to issue a subpoena to a medical provider, pursuant to Section 8-802 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(d) Any person may report allegations of insurance non-compliance and fraud pursuant to this Section to the Department of Insurance's fraud and insurance non-compliance unit whose duty it shall be to investigate the report. The unit shall notify the Commission of reports of insurance non-compliance. Any person reporting an allegation of insurance non-compliance or fraud against either an employee or employer under this Section must identify himself. Except as provided in this subsection and in subsection (e), all reports shall remain confidential except to refer an investigation to the Attorney General or State's Attorney for prosecution or if the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit's investigation reveals that the conduct reported may be in violation of other laws or regulations of the State of Illinois, the unit may report such conduct to the appropriate governmental agency charged with administering such laws and regulations. Any person who intentionally makes a false report under this Section to the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(e) In order for the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit to investigate a report of fraud related to an employee's claim, (i) the employee must have filed with the Commission an Application for Adjustment of Claim and the employee must have either received or attempted to receive benefits under this Act that are related to the reported fraud or (ii) the employee must have made a written demand for the payment of benefits that are related to the reported fraud. There shall be no immunity, under this Act or otherwise, for any person who files a false report or who files a report without good and just cause. Confidentiality of medical information shall be strictly maintained. Investigations that are not referred for prosecution shall be destroyed upon the expiration of the statute of limitations for the acts under investigation and shall not be disclosed except that the person making the report shall be notified that the investigation is being closed. It is unlawful for any employer, insurance carrier, service adjustment company, third party administrator, self-insured, or similar entity to file or threaten to file a report of fraud against an employee because of the exercise by the employee of the rights and remedies granted to the employee by this Act.

(e-5) (Blank).

(f) Any person convicted of fraud related to workers' compensation pursuant to this Section shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in the Criminal Code of 2012 and shall be ineligible to receive or retain any compensation, disability, or medical benefits as defined in this Act if the compensation, disability, or medical benefits were owed or received as a result of fraud for which the recipient of the compensation, disability, or medical benefit was convicted. This subsection applies to accidental injuries or diseases that occur on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly.

(g) Civil liability. Any person convicted of fraud who knowingly obtains, attempts to obtain, or causes to be obtained any benefits under this Act by the making of a false claim or who knowingly misrepresents any material fact shall be civilly liable to the payor of benefits or the insurer or the payor's or insurer's subrogee or assignee in an amount equal to 3 times the value of the benefits or insurance coverage wrongfully obtained or twice the value of the benefits or insurance coverage attempted to be obtained, plus reasonable attorney's fees and expenses incurred by the payor or the payor's subrogee or assignee who successfully brings a claim under this subsection. This subsection applies to accidental injuries or diseases that occur on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly.

(h) The fraud and insurance non-compliance unit shall submit a written report on an annual basis to the Chairman of the Commission, the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board, the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Attorney General by January 1 and July 1 of each year. This report shall include, at the minimum, the following information:

(1) The number of allegations of insurance non-compliance and fraud reported to the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit.

(2) The source of the reported allegations (individual, employer, or other).

(3) The number of allegations investigated by the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit.

(4) The number of criminal referrals made in accordance with this Section and the entity to which the referral was made.

(5) All proceedings under this Section.

(6) Recommendations regarding opportunities for additional fraud detection.

(Source: P.A. 102-37, eff. 7-1-21; 103-590, eff. 6-5-24.)