HB2877 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 08747 BAB 18801 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB2877

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Rep. Nicolle Grasse

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

210 ILCS 60/15

Amends the Hospice Program Licensing Act. Provides that, no later than December 31, 2026, the Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board shall submit a report to the General Assembly on the state of care for individuals experiencing a serious or life-limiting illness and their family caregivers. Requires the report to include, at a minimum, data regarding the availability of and need for hospice and palliative care services in Illinois; data showing the relative value of non-hospice adult palliative care to the State of Illinois and its citizens; evidence-based recommendations to educate health care professionals and the public about non-hospice palliative care; and recommendations for state standards for adult palliative care.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Hospice Program Licensing Act is amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

(210 ILCS 60/15)

Sec. 15. Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board.

(a) The Director shall appoint a Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board ("the Board") to consult with the Department as provided in this Section. The membership of the Board shall be as follows:

(1) The Director, ex officio, who shall be a nonvoting member and shall serve as chairman of the Board.

(2) One representative of each of the following State agencies, each of whom shall be a nonvoting member: the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, and the Department on Aging.

(3) One member who is a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, selected from the recommendations of a statewide professional society representing physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in all specialties.

(4) One member who is a registered nurse, selected from the recommendations of professional nursing associations.

(5) Four members selected from the recommendations of organizations whose primary membership consists of hospice programs.

(6) Two members who represent the general public and who have no responsibility for management or formation of policy of a hospice program and no financial interest in a hospice program.

(7) One member selected from the recommendations of consumer organizations that engage in advocacy or legal representation on behalf of hospice patients and their immediate families.

(b) Of the initial appointees, 4 shall serve for terms of 2 years, 4 shall serve for terms of 3 years, and 5 shall serve for terms of 4 years, as determined by lot at the first meeting of the Board. Each successor member shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. A member appointed to fill a vacancy before the expiration of the term for which his or her predecessor was appointed shall be appointed to serve for the remainder of that term.

(c) The Board shall meet as frequently as the chairman deems necessary, but not less than 4 times each year. Upon the request of 4 or more Board members, the chairman shall call a meeting of the Board. A Board member may designate a replacement to serve at a Board meeting in place of the member by submitting a letter stating that designation to the chairman before or at the Board meeting. The replacement member must represent the same general interests as the member being replaced, as described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (a).

(d) Board members are entitled to reimbursement for their actual expenses incurred in performing their duties.

(e) The Board shall advise the Department on all aspects of the Department's responsibilities under this Act, including the format and content of any rules adopted by the Department on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. Any such rule or amendment to a rule proposed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, except an emergency rule adopted pursuant to Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, that is adopted without obtaining the advice of the Board is null and void. If the Department fails to follow the advice of the Board with respect to a proposed rule or amendment to a rule, the Department shall, before adopting the rule or amendment to a rule, transmit a written explanation of the reason for its action to the Board. During its review of rules, the Board shall analyze the economic and regulatory impact of those rules. If the Board, having been asked for its advice with respect to a proposed rule or amendment to a rule, fails to advise the Department within 90 days, the proposed rule or amendment shall be considered to have been acted upon by the Board.

(f) The Board shall also review pediatric palliative care issues as provided in the Pediatric Palliative Care Act.

(g) No later than December 31, 2026, the Board shall submit a report to the General Assembly on the state of care for individuals experiencing a serious or life-limiting illness and their family caregivers. The report shall include at a minimum:

(1) data regarding the availability of and need for hospice and palliative care services in Illinois;

(2) data showing the relative value of non-hospice adult palliative care to the State of Illinois and its citizens;

(3) evidence-based recommendations to educate health care professionals and the public about non-hospice palliative care; and

(4) recommendations for state standards for adult palliative care.

(Source: P.A. 95-133, eff. 1-1-08; 96-1078, eff. 7-16-10.)