Bill > SB1286

This bill creates the Domestic Violence Survivor Health Care Billing Act, which provides a critical protection for domestic violence survivors who are not the primary insurance policyholder. The legislation allows survivors to opt out of having medical forensic services (such as medical examinations and evidence collection related to domestic violence) billed to their health insurance plan. To do this, the survivor must provide a sworn statement about the domestic violence, along with supporting documentation like a police report or protective order. If the survivor chooses to avoid insurance billing, the healthcare provider will instead submit the bill to the Department of Human Services for reimbursement through the Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention Program. Importantly, the bill specifies that reimbursement can be sought regardless of when the domestic violence incident occurred, and is limited to medical forensic services directly related to the incident. The bill also provides comprehensive definitions for key terms like "domestic violence," "health care practitioner," and "health insurer" to ensure clear implementation of the law, with the ultimate goal of protecting survivors' privacy and preventing potential insurance-related complications that might discourage seeking medical care after experiencing domestic violence.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1286&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104