Legislative Updates

2023 Brings Illinois Requirement for Training in Implicit Bias Awareness and Dementia

ILOTA is currently in the process of developing CE courses that will comply with the new one-hour training requirements for Implicit Bias Awareness and on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Similar to the required training in Ethics and Sexual Harassment, the CE courses will be free to current ILOTA members and offered for a nominal fee to non-members. We expect the new courses will be available by July 1, 2023.  

ILOTA is Celebrating an Advocacy Win!

On July 22, 2021, Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 3308 into law, expanding access to telehealth services across the state. A key component of this law is payment parity - insurance companies will be required to reimburse for telehealth services at the same rate as in-person services. Many thanks to Clare Giuffrida, ILOTA's Early Intervention SIS Co-Chair, for representing ILOTA at the signing. For more information, please see the press release at this link.

 

Governor Pritzker presentation

 

Group at bill signing

 

NEWS! Illinois Representative Dagmara Avelar’s Community Back to School Resources Event on August 14, 2021
 
From Our Lobbyist  

Current list of House Bills (April 2022)

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:

                * 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