State Extends Telehealth Coverage, Other COVID Orders
Aug. 24, 2020
On Friday, Governor J.B. Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-52 (COVID-19 EO No. 48), reissuing a series of mandates related to the public health emergency. The mandates include in-network telehealth coverage and payment by all health insurance issuers regulated by the Dept. of Insurance (originally EO 2020-09) through Sept. 19.
The Executive Order also included the following reissued mandates, effective through Sept. 19:
- Healthcare worker background checks (EO 2020-12; Sections 1 and 3);
- Fingerprint submissions under Health Care Worker Background Check Act (EO 2020-22; Sections 4, 5 and the Savings Clause);
- Actions by the Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation for licensed professionals engaged in disaster response (EO 2020-23; order reissued in its entirety);
- Hospital capacity (EO 2020-26; Sections 2(e), 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10); and
- Illinois Dept. of Public Health regulatory activities (EO 2020-35; Sections 14, 15, 16 and 17).
Also, the Aug. 21 Illinois Register finalized the adoption of Section 12-13 of the Illinois Public Aid Code (305 ILCS 5/12-13, p. 13678-13713), with an effective date of Aug. 7, broadening Medicaid telehealth rules during a public health emergency. The final rule aligns with the authority granted in Public Act 101-0649 (Senate Bill 1864) to the Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services to pay for additional services delivered by telehealth.