Legislative News, March 2021

Maureen Mulhall, ILOTA Lobbyist

Freshman Representatives - Illinois House of Representatives

Freshman Senators - Illinois Senate

***IMPORTANT AND NEW (March 2021) INFORMATION FROM THE COALITION TO PROTECT TELEHEALTH***

Contact Your State Rep. to Support Telehealth House Bill 3498 to address the NEED FOR PERMANENT Occupational Therapy telehealth practice after COVID-19

ILOTA is a member of the Coalition to Protect Telehealth that is requesting Illinois telehealth reform legislation to ensure coverage parity and payment parity of telehealth services with in-person services. On Feb. 22, the Coalition to Protect Telehealth, a group of more than 30 leading health care and patient advocacy organizations, including ILOTA, announced its support for the legislation.​ HB3498 was introduced on Feb. 19, 2021, by Illinois State Rep. Deb Conroy and filed as bipartisan legislation to protect Illinoisans' access to innovative telehealth services by mandating coverage and payment parity with in-person care. A press release summarizing the bill can be found HERE. ILOTA is urging our members and their clients to lend their support to House Bill 3498. To ensure that accessible, safe and reliable telehealth that improves patient outcomes continues to be provided after the COVID-19 pandemic, we need the Illinois General Assembly to pass House Bill 3498 for both coverage and payment parity with in-person services.

How you can support this bill:

• Contact your state representative and ask her/him to co-sponsor House Bill 3498. 
  • o Look up your state representative's contact information here (go to the “Find Officials" section and fill in your local address information)
  • o Send an email message to your​ state representative here
• Use our letter template to send a letter to your state representative

• Share a story about a client or caregiver who might be willing to share their story. If you know of a client or caregiver with a compelling story. We'll use these stories and their experiences in future support for the bill:

                * Please forward them this link to a brief online                    survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BHVK5XB 

                * If easier, we can interview via an online Zoom meeting, please send us an email to: [email protected].

If you would like more background information and specific talking points, click HERE.

For a full text on House Bill 3498 (Learn more about the bill)

Here is a complete collection of the resources available:

A. ILOTA Action Alert Announcement on Telehealth Legislation

B. Telehealth Coalition Meeting Minutes - March 1, 2021

C. Telehealth Press Release

D. Sample Letter Template to Send to Your Representative

E. Talking Points on Telehealth

ILOTA Virtual Session on February 1, 2021: Advancing OT Through Advocacy and the Legislative Process

The following items are made available as part of our successful virtual session on February 1, 2021, that drew 76 participants. If you have questions or would like to follow up, please contact the session's moderator, Claudia Cirrincione, who is also the chairperson of the Illinois Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee (ILOTPAC), at [email protected]

1. Zoom Recording of Session:

 https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/pVC8-Hk_xlMuonEaoKZ332Spj4k-fMhCsoyD8ZSf-xH01o4Wd8LJBiRD_vSkZOW1.789cHu1n-hp7WoRa

 Access Passcode: PWzC7.ZS

2. PowerPoint Presentation for Session (PDF)

3. Resource: Tips for Planning Your Visit with Illinois State Legislators

4. Resource: Advocacy in the Illinois General Assembly

5. Resource: Telehealth Talking Points

6. Resource: AOTA Congressional Successes for Occupational Therapy