Coverage of treatment models for early treatment of serious mental illnesses.
(a)For purposes of early treatment of a serious mental illness in a child or young adult under age 26, a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance, or managed care plan, that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after December 31, 2020 shall provide coverage of the following bundled, evidence-based treatment:
(1)Coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis treatment, covering the elements of the treatment model included in the most recent national research trials conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health in the Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) trials for psychosis resulting from a serious mental illness, but excluding the components of the treat
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Coverage of treatment models for early treatment of serious mental illnesses. (a) For purposes of early treatment of a serious mental illness in a child or young adult under age 26, a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance, or managed care plan, that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after December 31, 2020 shall provide coverage of the following bundled, evidence-based treatment: (1) Coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis treatment, covering the elements of the treatment model included in the most recent national research trials conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health in the Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) trials for psychosis resulting from a serious mental illness, but excluding the components of the treatment model related to education and employment support. (2) Assertive community treatment (ACT) and community support team (CST) treatment. The elements of ACT and CST to be covered shall include those covered under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code, through 89 Ill. Adm. Code 140.453(d)(4). (b) Adherence to the clinical models. For purposes of ensuring adherence to the coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis treatment model, only providers contracted with the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health to be FIRST.IL providers to deliver coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis treatment shall be permitted to provide such treatment in accordance with this Section and such providers must adhere to the fidelity of the treatment model. For purposes of ensuring fidelity to ACT and CST, only providers certified to provide ACT and CST by the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health and approved to provide ACT and CST by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, or its designee, in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 140, shall be permitted to provide such services under this Section and such providers shall be required to adhere to the fidelity of the models. (c) Development of medical necessity criteria for coverage. Within 6 months after January 1, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-461), the Department of Insurance shall lead and convene a workgroup that includes the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, providers of the treatment models listed in this Section, and insurers operating in Illinois to develop medical necessity criteria for such treatment models for purposes of coverage under this Section. The workgroup shall use the medical necessity criteria the State and other states use as guidance for establishing medical necessity for insurance coverage. The Department of Insurance shall adopt a rule that defines medical necessity for each of the 3 treatment models listed in this Section by no later than June 30, 2020 based on the workgroup's recommendations. (d) For purposes of credentialing the mental health professionals and other medical professionals that are part of a coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis treatment team, an ACT team, or a CST team, the credentialing of the psychiatrist or the licensed clinical leader of the treatment team shall qualify all members of the treatment team to be credentialed with the insurer. (e) Payment for the services performed under the treatment models listed in this Section shall be based on a bundled treatment model or payment, rather than payment for each separate service delivered by a treatment team member. By no later than 6 months after January 1, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-461), the Department of Insurance shall convene a workgroup of Illinois insurance companies and Illinois mental health treatment providers that deliver the bundled treatment approaches listed in this Section to determine a coding solution that allows for these bundled treatment models to be coded and paid for as a bundle of services, similar to intensive outpatient treatment where multiple services are covered under one billing code or a bundled set of billing codes. The coding solution shall ensure that services delivered using coordinated specialty care for first episode psychosis treatment, ACT, or CST are provided and billed as a bundled service, rather than for each individual service provided by a treatment team member, which would deconstruct the evidence-based practice. The coding solution shall be reached prior to coverage, which shall begin for plans amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after December 31, 2020, to ensure coverage of the treatment team approaches as intended by this Section. (f) If, at any time, the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or its successor agency, adopts rules or regulations to be published in the Federal Register or publishes a comment in the Federal Register or issues an opinion, guidance, or other action that would require the State, under any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148), including, but not limited to, 42 U.S.C. 18031(d)(3)(b), or any successor provision, to defray the cost of any coverage for serious mental illnesses or serious emotional disturbances outlined in this Section, then the requirement that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan cover the bundled treatment approaches listed in this Section is inoperative other than any such coverage authorized under Section 1902 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1396a, and the State shall not assume any obligation for the cost of the coverage. (g) After 5 years following full implementation of this Section, if requested by an insurer, the Department of Insurance shall contract with an independent third party with expertise in analyzing health insurance premiums and costs to perform an independent analysis of the impact coverage of the team-based treatment models listed in this Section has had on insurance premiums in Illinois. If premiums increased by more than 1% annually solely due to coverage of these treatment models, coverage of these models shall no longer be required. (h) The Department of Insurance shall adopt any rules necessary to implement the provisions of this Section by no later than June 30, 2020.