Bill Text: IL HB0223 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Amends the Health Care Justice Act. Changes the short title to the Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011. Provides that the mission goals of the Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force are to monitor the implementation of the federal health care reforms and make recommendations, report concerning additional reforms needed to ensure affordable health care, assess current programs, and issue recommendations concerning the implementation of a statewide health insurance plan offered by the State. Contains provisions concerning reports, public hearings, and research assessments. Repeals provisions concerning the Task Force's final report and further legislative actions. Effective July 1, 2011.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-05 - Third Reading - Standard Debate - Lost 042-058-000 [HB0223 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HB0223-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning health care.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Health
Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011.
Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
recognizes that the U.S. census reported that on any given day
an estimated 1,800,000 Illinoisans are without health
insurance. With new federal health care reform legislation the
number of uninsured Illinoisans will decrease dramatically.
However, there will still be tens of thousands of uninsured
Illinoisans. The General Assembly believes that the State must
work in cooperation with the federal government to implement
these federal reforms effectively and in a thoughtful and
expedited manner.
Section 10. Health Care Justice Implementation Act of 2011
plan. On or before September 1, 2011 the Health Care Justice
Implementation Task Force shall be created to accomplish,
subject to appropriation, the following mission:
(1) Monitor the implementation of federal reforms and
make recommendations. The Task Force shall monitor the
implementation of federal reforms and make recommendations

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to the executive and legislative branches of Illinois
government concerning implementation. The Task Force shall
file with the General Assembly a recommendation report by
January 1st of every year as it pertains to those reforms
that will need to be implemented in that year. In addition,
a quarterly assessment shall be developed as it pertains to
how State government's process of implementing these
federal reforms is progressing.
(2) Additional recommendations regarding reforms. The
Task Force shall issue a report on March 1, 2013 regarding
additional reforms needed to fully comply with Section 10
of this Act.
(3) Assessment of current programs. The Task Force
shall issue recommendations and positions on a wide range
of issues, as seen fit by Task Force members, as it
pertains to existing programs and needed changes to these
programs.
(4) Recommendations concerning the Illinois State
Health Insurance Plan. By March 1, 2013, the Task Force
shall recommend a plan for the implementation of a
statewide health insurance plan offered by the State to be
known as the Illinois State Health Insurance Plan, under
which any Illinois resident may purchase medical care and
services available to recipients of medical assistance
under the Public Aid Code. The Illinois State Health
Insurance Plan shall be developed and offered as an

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affordable option that may be selected by a person in
relation to the operation of a health insurance exchange in
this State. The Department of Healthcare and Family
Services shall administer the Illinois Health Insurance
Plan, either directly or by contract, separate from the
plans and programs that it otherwise administers. The Task
Force shall include in its recommendations the structure
and function of an oversight panel responsible for
reviewing and approving the criteria, standards, and
procedures for the operation of the plan and for conducting
oversight of the operation of the Illinois Health Insurance
Plan. The Illinois Health Insurance Plan shall:
(A) provide comprehensive health benefits that
meet all of the federal requirements for credible
coverage, including coverage for doctor visits,
hospital care, prescriptions, mental health services,
alcohol and substance abuse services, habilitative
services, preventative services, nursing home care,
rehabilitation, home health services, eye care, and
dental care; and
(B) be financed through various means, including,
but not limited to, payments of premiums by enrollees,
deductibles and copayments, income contributions by
enrollees, federal funding, grants and contributions,
appropriations of revenues generated under the
Illinois Health Insurance Plan, and any other revenue

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designated by the General Assembly or purposed for
health care or health care education.
Section 15. Health Care Justice Implementation Task Force.
There is created a Health Care Justice Implementation Task
Force. The Task Force shall consist of 29 voting members
appointed as follows: 13 shall be appointed by the Governor; 4
shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, 4 shall be
appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, 4 shall be
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 4
shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives. The Task Force shall have a chairman and a
vice-chairman who shall be elected by the voting members at the
first meeting of the Task Force. The Director of Public Health
or his or her designee, the Director of Aging or his or her
designee, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his
or her designee, the Director of Insurance or his or her
designee, and the Secretary of Human Services or his or her
designee shall represent their respective departments and
shall be invited to attend Task Force meetings, but shall not
be members of the Task Force. The members of the Task Force
shall be appointed within 60 days after the effective date of
this Act and hold its first meeting within 30 days thereafter.
The departments of State government represented on the Task
Force shall work cooperatively to provide administrative
support for the Task Force; the Department of Healthcare and

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Family Services and the Department of Insurance shall be the
primary agencies in providing that administrative support.
Section 20. Public hearings. The Task Force shall seek
public input on all 4 of its mission goals by holding 4 public
hearings each year throughout the State. Each State
Representative and State Senator shall be invited to
participate in each hearing and help to gather input from
interested parties. A web site for the Task Force shall be
developed and linked to the Governor's home page for input to
be provided and to keep the public informed. The Task Force's
web site shall be specifically highlighted and have independent
pages reporting all activities and linkages for people to
access. Minutes from all of the Task Force's meetings shall be
available on the web site, and a hard copy of this information
shall also be made available for those persons without access
to the Task Force's web site. The Task Force may also consult
with health care providers, health care consumers, hospitals,
labor unions, businesses, insurers, pharmaceutical
manufacturers, and other appropriate individuals and
organizations to assist in the development of the health care
access plan.
(20 ILCS 4045/Act rep.)
Section 25. The Health Care Justice Act is repealed.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,

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2011.