Summary as Introduced
Creates the Catch Heart Disease Early Act. Provides that all Illinois residents, 20 years of age or older, are entitled to heart disease screenings at no cost according to the following schedule: one screening every 6 years for individuals aged 20 through 39 years; and one screening every 2 years for individuals aged 40 years and older. Provides that no individual shall be charged any co-payment, co-insurance, deductible, out-of-pocket fee, or other cost-sharing amount or required to enter into any cost-sharing agreement in order to access heart disease screenings. Provides that the State of Illinois shall be the payer of last resort and only cover any outstanding screening costs for eligible uninsured or underinsured individuals whose public or private insurance, including Medicaid or Medicare, does not cover the full cost of heart disease screenings. Provides that service providers of heart disease screenings for eligible uninsured or underinsured Illinois residents shall be reimbursed through a voucher program. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to perform certain functions to implement the Act, including, but not limited to: (i) establishing a confidential registry to track screening dates and prevent duplicate heart disease screenings outside the authorized frequency; and (ii) provide a mechanism for individuals and providers to verify screening eligibility. Requires health care providers to verify an individual's age, residency, date of last heart disease screening, and other matters prior to administering a screening and recording it in the individual's medical record. Contains provisions on Department rules. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department shall implement the voucher program by July 1, 2027. Adds conforming language to the State Employees Group Insurance Act, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Illinois Public Aid Code, and the Illinois Insurance Code. Effective immediately.