Latest news with #J.B
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Landmark ambulance coverage legislation passes Illinois legislature, awaits Governor's signature
Bill shields patients from unfair insurance underpayments for necessary ground ambulance services SPRINGFIELD, Ill., June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a major victory for Illinois patients and first responders, legislation addressing inadequate insurance payments for medically necessary ground ambulance service is now headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk. The bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, and Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, protects consumers from the financial stress of being responsible for the cost of ground ambulance services when insurance providers refuse to pay the full cost of those services. "This is a consumer protection bill that follows federal recommendations and protects patients from unexpected costs for utilizing ground ambulance services," said Kim Godden, President of the Illinois State Ambulance Association Board of Directors. "We have been working closely with stakeholders for nearly three years to find common ground on providing a solution to a problem that impacts patients at their most vulnerable moments and jeopardizes reliable ambulance transportation throughout the state. With this legislation, ambulance providers will receive the reimbursement necessary to maintain operations and patients' insurance will provide coverage so patients will no longer be in the middle regarding the ambulance bill." The legislation (House Bill 2785): Requires insurance coverage for all emergency and urgent ground ambulance services (ordered within 12 hours). Caps patient costs at the lower of an ER visit copay or 10% of the recognized amount for ground ambulance services provided to prevent excessive out-of-pocket expenses. Bans balance billing when ground ambulance service providers accept a defined, fair payment amount. Mandates insurer payment equal to the lesser of: (1) negotiated rate, (2) 85% of billed charges, or (3) average gross charge amount for a previous one-year period. Protects ground ambulance service providers from arbitrary insurer rates and helps Illinois' first responders, municipalities and fire protection districts recoup fair reimbursement for 911 transports from commercial insurance providers, which reduces the burden on taxpayer dollars currently subsidizing these lifesaving services. Protects patient access to emergency ground ambulance services and urgent ground ambulance service throughout Illinois through consistent and fair rate-setting and payment by health insurance issuers. The effective date of the legislation, once signed into law, is Jan. 1, 2027, giving all stakeholders time to prepare for implementation. "This is an especially important bill for downstate and rural Illinois where ground ambulance services are often a primary source of health care," said Andrew Thornton, Treasurer of the Illinois State Ambulance Association. "As ground ambulance service providers, we never want our patients to have to worry about billing or make a decision based on cost when they face an emergency. We're grateful for all of our partners who came to the table and negotiated a solution in good faith for the betterment of our patients." "When you call for an ambulance, your first concern should not be how much it will cost and if it is covered by your insurance, it should be getting the help you need. Many are facing surprise bills after being transported by ambulance, placing an undue burden upon insured residents and even causing some to avoid calling 911 out of fear of what services will cost," Sen. Villivalam said. "That's why I am proud to sponsor and pass House Bill 2785 through the Senate as it will prevent our insured residents from unexpected large bills when seeking the care they need." "As a former mayor, I am familiar with the importance of 911 EMS Ambulance transportation," Rep. Moylan said. "This legislation ensures that municipalities, fire protection districts and first responders throughout Illinois receive fair and adequate reimbursement for these services without patients being financially responsible or taxpayers subsidizing inadequate reimbursement. When a resident calls 911, they expect (and need) fast, reliable, quality care. This legislation allows for that to occur." The federal No Surprises Act, enacted in 2020, prohibited balance billing for emergency healthcare services but excluded ground ambulance services due to the unique nature of these services. Unlike hospitals or physicians, ground ambulance services are locally regulated and lack the negotiating power to secure "in-network" status with insurers. To address the gap, Congress established the Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing, which delivered its recommendations to Congress in Fall 2024. Among those recommendations, states were urged to enact their own laws to protect patients and support ground ambulance service providers. This legislation aligns with federal guidance, protects patients from unfair insurance underpayments, ensures ground ambulance providers are provided fair and timely payment for their often life-saving services, and protects patient access to these critically important services. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Illinois State Ambulance Association
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to boost legal services to indigent on governor's desk
Jun. 12—Illinois legislators have created a new statewide public defender's office, but it's going to take a while to sort out the details. They put the finishing touches on the "Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation (FAIR) Act" on May 31, the last day the legislature met in its spring session. The bill now goes to Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his expected signature. The legislation won't take effect until Jan. 1, 2027, because there are major details to iron out. Champaign County Circuit Judge Randy Rosenbaum, the county's chief judge and former longtime public defender, said he is, generally speaking, "very much in favor" of the idea behind the legislation but distressed by a couple of issues. The legislation "doesn't talk about any money," he said, referring to what he expects will be the massive costs of the bill. Plus, Rosenbaum said, it limits the role of the local presiding judge in selecting a county's chief public defender. For example, Champaign County Public Defender Elisabeth Pollock, a former federal public defender, was named by Rosenbaum to fill the job. But Rosenbaum said the legislation takes local "judges out of the selection process" when they are best situated to determine who is most qualified to be appointed to such an important position. He said it is his understanding the new appointment process was established to insulate the appointed county public defenders from the judiciary. The legislation is motivated by a desire to boost the quality of legal representation for individuals charged with crimes who cannot afford a to hire a lawyer. Many of Illinois' 102 counties have a public defender's office. Those that do not appoint private lawyers to handle cases for the indigent. However, there is concern that public defenders have too many cases to handle in an efficient manner. The legislation is designed to ensure they have greater resources. Pollock said she is "grateful" the legislation is before the governor and will be "excited to watch it be implemented." "It is no secret that public defenders have struggled for decades with a need for increased staffing and greater resources in the face of ever-expanding workloads," she said. She called the bill a "a necessary and meaningful step forward." However principled the motivation, the legislation shows signs of the usual politicization in this hyper-political state. For example, Rosenbaum said Cook County lobbied for the legislation but is exempt from some provisions. For example, it leaves public defender appointment power with the president of the Cook County Board instead of transferring it to a committee. The legislation establishes regional offices of the state public defenders that are designed to provide additional resources to county public defender offices. The legislation calls for the Illinois Supreme Court initially to appoint a state public defender. The Coalition to End Money Bond praised the bill, contending it "build(s) on" the SAFE-T Act social-justice law that, among many other things, abolished the cash bond system. It said the new public defender law "brings Illinois closer to ensuring that public defenders have adequate resources" to provide high-quality representation to indigent defendants. Part of the law is devoted to establishing case management resources that ensure access to a "digital discovery storage management system" and "case management software." The new office also is directed to take a survey to determine "the number of employees and contractors providing" legal services and the variety of legal services they provide. It has an odd organizational status, one dubbed as an "independent agency" within the judicial branch. The legislation directs that the state public defender's office "shall" be under the supervision of the state public defender, not the Supreme Court.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois becomes first state to require that all insurance covers Alzheimer's treatment
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois is making a major expansion in patient care and access to new treatment for Alzheimer's, thanks to a new state law taking effect in July 2025. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that will require state health insurance to cover U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medicine to slow down Alzheimer's and other related diseases. SEE ALSO: New Illinois laws and tax changes set to kick in on July 1, 2025 Some Alzheimer's patients will no longer have to go through step therapy — a process where insurers require patients to try and test less expensive drugs before covering the actual medication prescribed by their doctor. The Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter, which has been a forefront advocate for this, called the law 'groundbreaking.' 'For people living with Alzheimer's, slowing the progression of the disease changes someone's life — not only that individual's life, but the lives of their caregivers and all those around them, family and friends,' said David Olson, Director of State Affairs at the Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter. This coverage will also include diagnostic testing at the doctor's request. This ensures patients can access an accurate diagnosis before even starting the treatment. In 2020, there were 230,000 seniors with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia in the state, and according to the Illinois Department of Health, that number is expected to increase to 260,000 this year. With the rise in medical costs, insurance coverage is essential for most families. Bill creating Office of State Public Defender heads to Pritzker's desk The bill's sponsor in the House, Rep. Mary Gill (D-Chicago), said with dementia, time is always at the essence. 'When it comes to slowing Alzheimer's and other dementias, every moment counts,' Gill said. 'We can't waste time on insurance gimmicks like step therapy to save a few bucks, which is why I'm thankful for the strong advocacy and bipartisan support this legislation received.' Other private insurance plans will also begin covering FDA-approved treatment starting in 2027. 'We worked collaboratively with the insurance industry on this legislation,' Olson said. 'We were able to find and agree upon language here that expands access in a way that also isn't increasing cost to consumers.' Currently, there are two types of treatments for Alzheimer's approved by the FDA. One is Lecanemab, and the other is Donanemab. These will not end the disease, as there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's. This law makes Illinois the first state to require such treatment, and advocates said they hope other states will follow its lead. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
MPD: Man steals over $60k worth of cereal
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man was arrested on Monday after allegedly stealing a truck that contained over $60,000 worth of cereal. The incident has led John Woods, 24, to face multiple charges, such as theft of property and vandalism. On June 8, officers responded to a theft of a tractor-truck in the 1200 block of Jackson Ave. The victim said that he had parked his 2022 Freightliner Cascadia truck on Jackson Ave and when he returned, the truck was missing. Officers later responded to the 4600 block of Mendenhall, where J.B. Hunt Corporate security called and said that a chassis and container had been stolen. Egg prices fall to lowest level in months: WREG Price Tracker The employee told officers that the J.B. Hunt container and the chassis it was mounted on were stolen. He added that during the theft, the gates, parking barriers and light pole had been damaged. According to the employee, the value of the damage was approximately $10,000. On June 9, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office received a call to attempt to locate a J.B. Hunt container and chassis that was actively being tracked in the 4200 block of Hacks Cross Road. Deputies arrived and saw four people inside the trailer. When they saw the deputies, they took off running. Where did 100,000 registered vehicles go in Shelby County? As deputies checked the truck, they found John Woods in the sleeper cab with six boxes of cereal that had been taken out of the container. After Woods was taken into custody, deputies learned that the truck had been stolen. J.B. Hunt Corporate said the value of the chassis and container was approximately $20,000. The value of the cereal inside was approximately $68,000. The value of the 2022 Freightliner was $80,000. Woods has been charged with two counts of theft of property $60,000 to $250,000 and vandalism $2,500 to $10,000. At this time, no other arrests have been made in connection to these thefts. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: Raising age for mandatory driving tests an assault on common sense
May 30—Members of the House and Senate recently passed a bill that increases the age requiring an annual driving test from 79 to 87. It's an obvious ploy designed to appeal to older voters. Unfortunately, it's also an affront to public safety. It's probably unrealistic to expect Gov. J.B. Pritzker to veto this legislative monstrosity. After all, he's not above appealing to specific interest groups to collect a few extra votes. But in the name of common sense, he needs to act responsibly. So what if he runs the risk of a veto override? Under current law, a driver between 79 and 81 who seeks a license renewal must take a driver's test. Those between 81 and 86 are required to take a test every two years. Those 87 and older have to take a test every year. Under proposed rules, drivers between 79 and 86 will only have to take a vision test and, if they have a driving violation, a written test. Mandatory testing is for those 87 and up. The legislation is dubbed the "Road Safety and Fairness Act." Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with either. It's no more unfair to require a super senior to take a mandatory test than it is unfair to ask new 16-year-old drivers to meet special conditions to obtain a license. Further, what does public safety have to do with allowing those 79 and above not to have to prove their ability to drive in a safe manner? Very young people suffer from immaturity, poor judgment and impulsive behavior. Very old people lack the physical strength, mental acuity and strong reflexes they enjoyed during their middle and older ages. Those are just facts, whether people want to recognize them or not. Denying reality in this case is a prescription for easily avoidable danger on our roads and highways. Those who foolishly defend this grant of deference to super seniors claim that they are, at least statistically, among the safest driving groups. That's mostly because they do not drive much, prefer not to drive at night and try to avoid heavily congested areas. What does that tell the public? Super seniors know, better than anyone, that they are not now what they once were. Now, obviously, that does not apply across the board. There may well be many seniors who still have what it takes to drive in their 80s. What's the harm in requiring them to demonstrate their capabilities? The current age of 79 for mandatory testing looks more than fair. It's nonsensical to suggest, as some have, that it's unduly burdensome to require super seniors to show up at a license facility to take a test. On the other hand, there's great potential of harm in allowing super seniors, willy nilly, to get behind the wheel, where they might pose a threat to themselves and others. This new law represents a total abandonment of common sense for what appears to be a purely political purpose. Please, Gov. Pritzker, save the pubic from what the yahoos in the House and Senate have wrought.
