Public Act 099-0834
 
HB4935 EnrolledLRB099 19626 MJP 44023 b


  
    AN ACT concerning health.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
    Section 5. The Hearing Screening for Newborns Act is 
amended  by changing Sections 1, 5, 10, 15, and 30 and adding 
Sections 2 and 23  as follows:
 



    (410 ILCS 213/1)



    Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Early 
Hearing Detection and Intervention Act Hearing Screening for 
Newborns Act.

(Source: P.A. 91-67, eff. 7-9-99.)

 
    (410 ILCS 213/2 new)
    Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
    "Medical care facility" means a hospital, birthing center, 
and any other licensed facility that provides obstetrical and 
newborn nursery services.
 



    (410 ILCS 213/5)



    Sec. 5. Mandatory hearing screening. 
    (a) Each medical care facility By December 31, 2002, all

hospitals performing deliveries shall conduct bilateral 
hearing screening of each newborn infant of all newborn
infants 
prior to discharge unless medically contraindicated or the 
infant is transferred to another hospital before the hearing 
screening  can be completed. If the infant is transferred to 
another hospital prior to completion of the hearing screening, 
the hospital to which the infant is transferred shall complete 
the hearing screening prior to discharge. All medical care 
facilities shall make provisions for an outpatient screening 
for infants born outside a medical care facility.
    (b) The facility performing the hearing screening shall 
report the results of the hearing screening to the Department 
within 7 days of screening. 
    If there is no hearing screening result or an infant does 
not pass the hearing screening in both ears at the same time, 
the medical care facility shall refer the infant's parents or 
guardians to a health care practitioner for follow-up, and 
document and report the referral, including the name of the 
health care practitioner, to the Department in a format 
determined by the Department.
    For infants born outside a medical care facility, the 
newborn's primary care provider shall refer the patient to a 
medical care facility for the hearing screening to be done in 
compliance with this Section within 30 days after birth, unless 
a different time period is medically indicated.
    (c) Follow-up to hearing screening includes:
        (1) for newborns, infants, and children with confirmed 
    hearing loss, making the audiological, medical, language 
    and communication, aural habilitation, parent-to-parent 
    support, and intervention referrals and documenting the 
    referrals and outcomes to the Department or in the State's 
    designated data system; and
        (2) for newborns, infants, and children with a 
    confirmed hearing loss, audiologists, early intervention 
    programs and providers, parent-to-parent support programs, 
    the Department of Human Services, and the University of 
    Illinois at Chicago Division of Specialized Care for 
    Children reporting screening, diagnosis, amplification, 
    and intervention outcomes to the Department. 

(Source: P.A. 91-67, eff. 7-9-99.)

 



    (410 ILCS 213/10)



    Sec. 10. Reports to Department of Public Health. 
Physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, 
otolaryngologists, audiologists, ancillary health care 
providers, early intervention programs and providers, 
parent-to-parent support programs, the Department of Human 
Services, and the University of Illinois at Chicago Division of 
Specialized Care for Children shall report all hearing testing, 
medical treatment, and intervention outcomes related to 
newborn hearing screening or newly identified hearing loss for 
children birth through 6 years of age to the Department.  
Reporting shall be done within 7 days after the date of service 
or after an inquiry from the Department. Reports shall be in a 
format determined by the Department. Hospitals shall report

information about each child with a positive hearing screening 
result to the
Illinois Department of Public Health.

(Source: P.A. 91-67, eff. 7-9-99.)

 



    (410 ILCS 213/15)



    Sec. 15. Department of Public Health to maintain registry 
of cases. The
Illinois Department of Public Health shall 
maintain a registry documenting screening, diagnosis, and 
intervention of cases of
positive hearing screening results, 
including information needed for the
purpose of follow-up 
services.

(Source: P.A. 91-67, eff. 7-9-99.)

 
    (410 ILCS 213/23 new)
    Sec. 23. Information sharing.
    (a) For the purposes of documentation and coordination of 
medical care or intervention services, the Department may share 
newborn hearing screening information with medical care 
facilities, health care providers, early intervention programs 
and providers, local health departments, the Department of 
Human Services, and the University of Illinois at Chicago 
Division of Specialized Care for Children.
    (b) For the purposes of documentation and coordination of 
medical care or intervention services, medical care 
facilities, health care providers, early intervention programs 
and providers, local health departments, the Department of 
Human Services, and the University of Illinois at Chicago 
Division of Specialized Care for Children shall submit 
information or reports about newborn, infant, and child hearing 
screening and diagnostic testing, follow-up services, 
intervention, and parent support services to the Department. 
Documentation is only required to be provided for those 
services provided.  Reporting shall be done within 7 days of the 
date of service or an inquiry from the Department. Reports 
shall be in a format determined by the Department. Reports by 
medical care facilities shall be in accordance with only 
subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.
    (c) Except in cases of willful or wanton misconduct, no 
health care provider, hospital, or medical facility acting in 
compliance with this Section shall be civilly or criminally 
liable for any act performed in compliance with this Section, 
including furnishing information required according to this 
Section. 
 



    (410 ILCS 213/30)



    Sec. 30. Rules. The Department of Human Services shall 
adopt promulgate rules
necessary to implement this Act.

(Source: P.A. 91-67, eff. 7-9-99.)


 
    (410 ILCS 213/20 rep.)
    Section 10. The Hearing Screening for Newborns Act is 
amended by repealing Section 20.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.