SB1629 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 11059 BDA 21141 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1629

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Neil Anderson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 405/405-550 new

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Disability Benefits Maximization Program. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Central Management Services, in conjunction with the 5 State-funded retirement systems, may enter into a contract with an administrator to establish and conduct a Disability Benefits Maximization Program to identify relevant individuals eligible for Medicare but not enrolled in Medicare, and to assist those individuals with enrolling in Social Security and Medicare. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall conduct an annual audit of the State health benefits program for everyone covered under the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program, and the College Insurance Program for the purpose of identifying participants and their dependents who are eligible for Medicare under federal law and shall also ensure that those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, or dependents who are eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare with Medicare as their primary health care benefits coverage and the State Health Benefits Program being the secondary provider of their health care benefits coverage. Provides that the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall assist any annuitant, retiree, benefit recipient, survivor or their dependents who becomes disabled, and is not enrolled in Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare, with enrolling in and obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Provides that the administrator of the Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall provide the Department, the 5 State-funded retirement systems, and the General Assembly with an annual report. Effective January 1, 2026.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 405-550 as follows:

(20 ILCS 405/405-550 new)

Sec. 405-550. Disability Benefits Maximization Program.

(a) Within 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the Department of Central Management Services, in conjunction with the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois, the State Universities Retirement System, the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, the Judges Retirement System of Illinois, and the General Assembly Retirement System, may enter into a contract with a qualified and experienced administrator to establish and conduct a Disability Benefits Maximization Program to identify annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, or dependents who are eligible for Medicare, but not enrolled in Medicare, and to assist those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, or dependents with enrolling in Social Security and Medicare.

(b) The Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall conduct an annual audit of the State health benefits program for everyone covered under the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program, and the College Insurance Program for the purpose of identifying participants and their dependents who are eligible for Medicare under federal law. The Program shall also ensure that those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, or dependents who are eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare with Medicare as their primary health care benefits coverage and the State Health Benefits Program being the secondary provider of their health care benefits coverage.

(c) The Disability Benefits Maximization Program shall assist any annuitant, retiree, benefit recipient, survivor or their dependents who becomes disabled, and is not enrolled in Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare, with enrolling in and obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. This assistance shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) developing communication materials to educate individuals about Social Security Disability Insurance benefits; (ii) performing multiple outreaches to targeted populations; (iii) analyzing responses to determine Social Security Disability Insurance eligibility; and (iv) representing qualified individuals on their claim for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare.

(d) The administrator shall provide the Department, the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois, the State Universities Retirement System, the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, the Judges Retirement System of Illinois, the General Assembly Retirement System, and the General Assembly with an annual report showing the number of annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, and dependents who are transitioned to Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare and the amount of savings realized by the State of Illinois.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on January 1, 2026.