Subject Index Public Health

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Department of Public Health Act, requiring the department to distribute clinical, evidence-based information about matters surrounding women’s health and fertility. The Act directs the department to provide this information to health care professionals such as physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and podiatrists for distribution to patients.

The General Assembly amended the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to protect abortion medications if the federal government restricts approval of those drugs.

The Illinois General Assembly enacted the Access to Affordable Insulin Act. The Department of Central Management Services will now offer a discount program that allows participants to purchase insulin at a discounted price after rebate.

The Illinois Department of Health amended the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Code regarding the transfer of sexual assault survivors between hospitals.

Residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other care facilities can now designate a family member or other person as a “primary essential support person” in their care plan. A primary essential support person can continue visiting the resident even with general restrictions in place for visitations, including restrictions to limit the spread of disease.

The Illinois General Assembly passed the Access to Affordable Insulin Act. The Act provides that the Department of Insurance shall offer a program allowing participants to purchase insulin at a discounted, postrebate price.

The Department of Public Health adopted amendments to its hospital licensing requirements. General acute or critical access hospitals that provide limited inpatient or observation services to pediatric patients must have a written agreement with a licensed pediatric unit if they do not have a pediatric unit, a board-certified pediatrician, or a board-eligible pediatrician in the hospital or on call 24 hours daily.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The Act now allows restaurants and consumers to fill or refill consumer-owned containers with bulk food.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Pesticide Act. The Act provides an additional calculation for penalties for any person applying or using a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with the label that results in human exposure to a pesticide.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Pharmacy Practice Act. The amendment expands the “practice of pharmacy” definition.

The Illinois General Assembly enacted the Fair Food and Retail Delivery Act. It places limits on third-party delivery services’ interactions with merchants. Third-party delivery services may no longer utilize a merchant’s name, likeness, registered trademark, or intellectual property, or process orders without the merchant’s permission in writing.

This Act amends the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act. The amendment authorizes various pharmacy and physician entities and individuals to dispense drug adulterant testing supplies to any person.

The Community Health Worker Certification and Reimbursement Act is amended to create the Community Health Workers Review Board.

On July 22, 2020, the Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court dissolved a temporary restraining order (TRO) requiring the disclosure of information about persons who have tested positive for COVID-19, since the parties requesting the information had no right to it.

Citing concerns about children not having access to sunscreen at schools due to medication bans, the General Assembly passed a law requiring schools to allow students to possess sunscreen at school or at youth camps.

In July, the Department of Human Services (DHS) adopted amendments to the procedures the Office of Inspector General must follow when investigating alleged abuse or neglect occurring in state-operated facilities and community agencies

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has adopted an amendment to Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Treatment and Intervention Licenses

The Pollution Control Board (PCB) adopted amendments to the Air Quality Standards (35 Ill. Adm. Code 243 (effective May 29, 2018)) updating the Illinois ambient air quality requirements to correspond with those in the federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) adopted by the United States EPA from July 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2017.

Licensure criteria for freestanding emergency centers have been loosened by recent amendments from the Department of Public Health (77 Ill. Adm. Code 518) (eff. April 10, 2018)

The Department of Human Services adopted four amendments that implement changes to the Home Services Program (HSP) for persons with disabilities.

New amendments adopted by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services ("HFS") allow licensed clinical psychologists ("LCPs") and licensed clinical social workers ("LCSWs") to enroll as providers in the Medical Assistance Program.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services ("HFS") has adopted new amendments covering the appeals process for ambulance providers regarding nonpayment and enrollment as medical assistance providers.

Amendments to Practice in Administrative Hearings revises the appeal process for ambulance providers whose payments have been denied or reduced, or who have been prohibited from enrollment as medical assistance providers.

This amendment makes several changes to criteria required for an intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled to qualify for enhanced per diem payments for services provided for individuals with developmental disabilities with high medical and high personal care needs.

This Act, which amends the State Finance Act and the Illinois Public Aid Code, requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish a Healthy Local Food Incentives Program to double the purchasing power of Illinois residents with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Department of Public Health adopted amendments to the Child and Student Health Examination and Immunization Code.

Amendments to the Control of Sexually Transmissible Infections Code add those certified to provide HIV testing and counseling to the definition of health care professional.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services adopted several amendments under Part 140: "Medical Payment," for the Department's medical programs.