Sec. 356z.21. Tobacco use cessation programs; coverage offer.

438 words·~2 min read·/il/chapter-215/act-5/356z-21

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(a)Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Illinois, costing $4.1 billion annually in direct health care costs and an additional $4.35 billion in lost productivity. In Illinois, the smoking rates are highest among African Americans (25.8%). Smoking rates among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults range from 25% to 44%. The U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline 2008 Update found that tobacco dependence treatments are both clinically effective and highly cost effective. A study in the Journal of Preventive Medicine concluded that comprehensive smoking cessation treatment is one of the 3 most important and cost effective preventive services that can be provided in medical practice. Greater efforts are needed to achieve more of this potential value by increasing current low levels of performance.

(b)In this Section, "tobacco use cessation program" means a program recommended by a physician that follows evidence-based treatment, such as is outlined in the United States Public Health Service guidelines for tobacco use cessation. "Tobacco use cessation program" includes education and medical treatment components designed to assist a person in ceasing the use of tobacco products. "Tobacco use cessation program" includes education and counseling by physicians or associated medical personnel and all FDA approved medications for the treatment of tobacco dependence irrespective of whether they are available only over the counter, only by prescription, or both over the counter and by prescription.

(c)On or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, every insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews group accident and health policies providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment or services on an expense-incurred basis shall offer, for an additional premium and subject to the insurer's standard of insurability, optional coverage or optional reimbursement of up to $500 annually for a tobacco use cessation program for a person enrolled in the plan who is 18 years of age or older.

(d)The coverage required by this Section shall be subject to other general exclusions and limitations of the policy, including coordination of benefits, participating provider requirements, restrictions on services provided by family or household members, utilization review of health care services, including review of medical necessity, case management, experimental and investigational treatments, and other managed care provisions.

(e)For the coverage provided under this Section, an insurer may not penalize or reduce or limit the reimbursement of an attending provider or provide incentives, monetary or otherwise, to an attending provider to induce the provider to provide care to an insured in a manner inconsistent with the coverage under this Section.