State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB0596enr

 
HB0596 Enrolled                                LRB9102397SMpr

 1        AN ACT regarding hearing screening for newborns.

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

 4        Section  1.   Short  title.  This Act may be cited as the
 5    Hearing Screening for Newborns Act.

 6        Section 5.  Mandatory hearing screening.  By December 31,
 7    2002,  all  hospitals  performing  deliveries  shall  conduct
 8    hearing screening of all newborn infants prior to discharge.

 9        Section 10.  Reports  to  Department  of  Public  Health.
10    Hospitals  shall  report  information about each child with a
11    positive hearing screening result to the Illinois  Department
12    of Public Health.

13        Section  15.   Department  of  Public  Health to maintain
14    registry of cases.  The Illinois Department of Public  Health
15    shall  maintain  a  registry  of  cases  of  positive hearing
16    screening  results,  including  information  needed  for  the
17    purpose of follow-up services.

18        Section 20.  Hearing screening  advisory  committee.   By
19    July 1, 2000, the Department of Human Services shall organize
20    an  advisory  committee  including  representatives  from the
21    Department of  Public  Health,  the  University  of  Illinois
22    Division of Specialized Care for Children, public and private
23    hospitals,   pediatric   associations,  audiologists,  health
24    insurance  plans,  hearing-impaired   persons,   parents   of
25    hearing-impaired  children,  and early intervention services.
26    The committee shall:
27        (a)  Develop   and   conduct   training   for   hospitals
28    implementing newborn hearing screening.
 
HB0596 Enrolled             -2-                LRB9102397SMpr
 1        (b)   Develop   a  tracking  and  follow-up  program  for
 2    diagnostic  hearing  testing  for   those   infants   failing
 3    hospital-based  screening,  in  order  to diagnose congenital
 4    hearing loss.
 5        (c) Develop  a  referral  system  to  early  intervention
 6    services  and  hearing  aids for those infants diagnosed with
 7    hearing loss.
 8        (d)  Develop  an  application   process   for   financial
 9    assistance  by  the Division of Specialized Care for Children
10    for follow-up diagnostic hearing testing of newborns  failing
11    hospital-based screening.
12        (e)  Develop  educational and informational materials for
13    hospital personnel, health care professionals, and parents on
14    appropriate  follow-up   procedures   for   infants   failing
15    hospital-based screening.
16        (f)  Monitor any reports made available to the State with
17    respect to the hearing screening status of all newborns.
18        (g) Monitor the availability of third party reimbursement
19    for  universal  hospital-based  hearing  screening of newborn
20    infants.
21        (h)  Review administrative rules and make recommendations
22    to the Department regarding such rules.

23        Section 25.  Objections to test.  The provisions of  this
24    Act  shall  not  apply  when  the  parent  or guardian of the
25    newborn infant objects to hearing screening  on  the  grounds
26    that  the  screening  conflicts  with  his  or  her religious
27    beliefs and practices.  A written statement of the  objection
28    shall  be  presented  to  the physician or other person whose
29    duty it is to administer and report the screening  under  the
30    provisions of this Act.

31        Section  30.   Rules.   The  Department of Human Services
32    shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this Act.
 
HB0596 Enrolled             -3-                LRB9102397SMpr
 1        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
 2    becoming law.

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