This Illinois House Resolution (HR 620) calls on Congress to reinstate healthcare subsidies that were part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which expired on January 1, 2026. It directly addresses Illinois residents, small businesses, and self-employed individuals who rely on the Get Covered Illinois marketplace, as they face significantly higher premiums and deductibles without these subsidies. The resolution requests immediate action to reverse the expiration of these cost-saving subsidies, which the bill claims would prevent up to 140,000 Illinoisans from affording coverage. Note: The resolution inaccurately attributes the subsidy expiration to former President Trump; the Inflation Reduction Act was enacted under President Biden, and subsidies expired due to legislative inaction, not Trump's policies. This is a symbolic resolution, not a binding law.
Amends the Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that, whenever an eligible employee suffers any injury or illness in the line of duty (rather than suffers any injury in the line of duty) which causes that employee to be unable to perform the employee's duties, the employee shall continue to be paid by the employing public entity on the same gross pay basis, inclusive of all pensionable salary, as the employee was paid before the injury (rather than paid by the employing public entity on the same basis as he was paid before the injury), with no deduction from and with continued accrual of any sick leave credits (rather than with no deduction from his sick leave credits) and specified other compensation, with other requirements. Makes technical changes.
Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Requires direct service workers employed by the Department of Human Services, or an agency contracted with the Department, to provide services under the Home Services Program to complete at least 2 hours of dementia training at the start of their employment and annually thereafter. Requires the training to cover subjects concerning Alzheimer's disease and dementia, safety risks, and communication and behavior. Requires the Department to provide contractors with dementia training curriculum on the required subjects. Provides that any other laws or rules that impose more rigorous dementia training for direct service workers under the Home Services Program shall apply. Exempts from the training requirements direct service workers who provide proof that they obtained equivalent dementia training in compliance with another law or rule. For personal assistants covered by a collective bargaining agreement, requires the Department to establish, in consultation with the joint training committee created under the collective bargaining agreement, different parameters and specific topics for curriculum covering dementia training.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Prohibits the State from applying for any federal waiver that would reduce or eliminate any protection or coverage required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act) that was in effect on January 1, 2017, including, but not limited to, any protection for persons with preexisting conditions and coverage for services identified as essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Provides that the State or an agency of the executive branch may apply for such a waiver only if granted authorization by the General Assembly through joint resolution. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits the State from applying for any federal waiver that would permit an individual or group health insurance plan to reduce or eliminate any protection or coverage required under the Affordable Care Act that was in effect on January 1, 2017, including, but not limited to, any protection for persons with preexisting conditions and coverage for services identified as essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Provides that the State or an agency of the executive branch may apply for such a waiver only if granted authorization by the General Assembly through joint resolution. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Prohibits the State or an agency of the executive branch from applying for any federal Medicaid waiver that would result in more restrictive standards, methodologies, procedures, or other requirements than those that were in effect in Illinois as of January 1, 2017 for the Medical Assistance Program, the Children's Health Insurance Program, or any other medical assistance program in Illinois operating under any existing federal waiver authorized by specified provisions of the Social Security Act. Provides that the State or an agency of the executive branch may apply for such a waiver only if granted authorization by the General Assembly through joint resolution. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not be enforceable with respect to individuals employed by health care facilities as health care professionals in the State regardless of whether an individual is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish reimbursement rates that build toward livable wages for frontline personnel in residential and day programs and service coordination agencies serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Provides that for community-based providers serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, subject to federal approval of any relevant Waiver Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027 shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide a $1.20 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support professionals and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings. Prohibits community-based providers from using the rate increases for operational or administrative expenses. Requires rate increases that are sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the rates for ID/DD and MC/DD facilities for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027 shall include a $1.20 per hour wage increase for all direct support professionals and other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases. Provides that changes to the rate methodologies are subject to federal approval. Grants emergency rulemaking authority to the Departments of Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services to implement the rate increases. Effective immediately.
Urges the United States Congress to enact a one-year extension of ACA subsidies through December 31, 2026, with enhanced oversight mechanisms to combat the estimated $25 billion in annual fraud, including stricter verification processes for enrollments and penalties for fraudulent activities. Urges Congress to include a clause in the extension legislation stipulating that, if comprehensive ACA reforms are not enacted by December 31, 2026, all members of Congress and the United States Senate shall forfeit their government health plan subsidies effective January 1, 2027, thereby aligning their incentives with those of the taxpayers who fund over 75% of their premiums.
Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that, by no later than January 1, 2028, the Department of Central Management Services shall, by rule, establish a program to allow the active members of TRS and their dependent beneficiaries to participate in the program of group health benefits made available under the Act to TRS benefit recipients and TRS dependent beneficiaries, including the program of group health benefits for Medicare-primary members and their Medicare-primary dependents, in lieu of health benefits otherwise provided by the school district. Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the program, including, but not limited to, the manner of electing to participate in the program, eligibility for participation in the program, and contributions for coverage through the program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that any condition or impairment of health of an employee employed as a hospital security guard which results directly or indirectly from specified diseases or conditions resulting in any disability to the employee shall be rebuttably presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employee's hospital security employment.
Amends the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any covenant not to compete or covenant not to solicit entered into after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall not be enforceable with respect to individuals employed as health care professionals, regardless of whether an individual is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Effective January 1, 2027.
