Healthcare (Medical Licensing)

Creates the Community Supported Living Arrangement Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities shall work in coordination with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop, implement, and operate, and to submit, through the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, amendments to the Illinois Adults with Developmental Disabilities Section 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services Waiver, subject to approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Provides for establishment of provider licensing, certification, and oversight standards for Community Supported Living-24 Hour services consistent with existing State authority for community-based residential services, but with the person's own home not requiring licensing or Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure and Certification reviews. Provides for 24-hour availability of trained personnel for individuals with intense physical, medical, or behavioral support needs. Contains provisions regarding: covered services; enrollment; the use of tools such as the Health Risk Screening Tool; housing independence; staffing and workforce standards; phased implementation; Person-Centered Plans; dignity of risk; compliance with mandates; quality assurance; evaluations; a Community Supported Living Advisory Council; reports; fiscal issues; administrative issues; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Creates a license for dental therapists. Sets forth requirements for licensure, a collaborative management agreement, the examination of applicants, and the scope of practice of dental therapists. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to maintain a list of the names and addresses of all dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists and of all persons whose licenses have been suspended or revoked, together with other information relative to the enforcement of the Act. Makes conforming and other changes.

Creates the Medical Assistant Practice Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall issue credentials for Registered Medical Assistants (RMA-IL) and Licensed Medical Assistants (LMA-IL). Provides that an applicant for registration as a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA-IL) shall be at least 18 years of age; complete not less than one academic year of approved education; pass a Department-approved examination; and meet the requirements established by rule. Provides that an applicant for licensure as a Licensed Medical Assistant (LMA-IL) shall meet all requirements for registration as a RMA-IL; complete not less than 2 academic years of approved education; pass a Department-approved licensure examination; and meet the requirements established by rule. Sets forth provisions concerning examinations; education and training programs; transition; experienced-based education credit; renewal and continuing education; and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Service to publish annually, beginning January 1, 2027, the assessment instruments used by the Department's Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure, and Certification to survey and license providers of community-integrated living arrangement homes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Requires rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. In provisions concerning registered professional nurse licensure by examination, provides that, prior to September 1, 2029 (rather than September 1, 2026), no professional nursing program shall be placed on probationary status for failing to reach a licensure examination passage rate of less than 75%.

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Service to publish annually, beginning January 1, 2027, the assessment instruments used by the Department's Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure, and Certification to survey and license providers of community-integrated living arrangement homes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Requires rulemaking. Effective immediately.

Amends the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. Provides that the comprehensive assessment of a patient prior to the patient's admission to an establishment shall be completed by a physician or a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. In provisions concerning licensure of an establishment, changes education requirements for the full-time director of an establishment. Makes changes to the definition of "medication administration" in provisions concerning service requirements. Provides that a licensed health care professional may be employed (instead of may not be employed) by the owner or operator of the establishment, its parent entity, or any other entity with ownership common to either the owner or operator of the establishment or parent entity, including, but not limited to, an affiliate of the owner or operator of the establishment, if the resident chooses to utilize the services of the licensed health care professional working within the scope of the professional's practice. Sets forth provisions concerning an emergency plan and disaster preparedness. Provides that incidents must be reported to the Department of Public Health within 24 hours after the incident or by the end of the next business day. Provides that staff in an establishment may be trained to assist in a nonemergency lift of a resident. Provides that repeated technical infractions by an establishment within a calendar year may result in a Type 3 violation.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. In provisions concerning an exception to the prohibition on fee splitting for billing, administrative preparation, or collection services, requires any charges for multiple in-network services during the same appointment, including, but not limited to, an office visit that was added to a physical exam, to be disclosed to the patient during the appointment.

Expresses the belief that nursing, social work, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education are professional disciplines that require advanced graduate education, professional licensure, and adherence to rigorous ethical and clinical standards. Lists the graduate degrees that should be considered professional degrees. States that any state agency, public university, or entity receiving state funds should take all necessary steps to avoid discrimination against individuals holding these graduate degrees in hiring, promotion, compensation, professional development funding, or other terms and conditions of employment based on any federal student loan classification. Urges the United States Department of Education to include all graduate degrees in nursing, social work, counseling, therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education in its definition of "professional degrees" for federal student loan purposes. Urges the Illinois Congressional Delegation to advocate for legislation to ensure that graduate students in all health and human services professions have access to adequate federal student loan funding to complete their professional education. Commits to exploring state-level solutions to support graduate education in health and human services professions, including but not limited to scholarships, grants, loan repayment assistance programs, and other workforce development initiatives. Expresses support for the licensed health and human services professionals in Illinois who serve our most vulnerable populations with skill, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the public good.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to adopt rules that require managed care organizations (MCOs) to utilize a universal provider application developed by a council for affordable quality healthcare, as defined, for the purpose of credentialing a health care professional or a health care provider who seeks to participate in an MCO's provider network. Provides that the rules may also require the use of a CAQH application for the renewal of credentials; and that the Department may revise the CAQH universal provider application or the application for renewal of credentials to conform to industry or national standards for credentialing health care professionals or health care providers. Provides that within 180 days after the adoption of rules, health and dental plan carriers must accept the universal provider application and the application for the renewal of credentials approved by the Department. Requires all MCOs to provide a provider network consultant to act as a liaison between a health care provider and the MCO. Require the Department to employ provider enrollment consultants to assist health care providers with enrollment in the Illinois Medicaid Program Advanced Cloud Technology system, help navigate the enrollment and provider credentialing process by serving as the liaison between health care providers and MCOs, and other matters. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning recoupments, requires a health care professional or health care provider to be provided a remittance advice that includes an explanation of a recoupment or offset taken by a managed care organization. Removes provisions permitting insurers contracted with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to recoup or offset payments due to a federal Medicaid requirement. Provides that no contract between an MCO and health care professional or provider may provide for recoupments in violation of the Code. Effective January 1, 2027.