IL HB1046

Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not cancel medical assistance eligibility solely because a person becomes an inmate of a public institution, including county jails, juvenile detention centers, or state correctional facilities, as long as other eligibility criteria are met.

Department may adopt rules allowing inmates to apply for medical assistance prior to scheduled release or discharge from penal institutions or county jails.

Department is not responsible for providing medical assistance for care provided while a person is incarcerated; responsibility remains with Department of Corrections, counties, or other arresting authorities.

Department shall resume medical assistance upon release to the community if the person remains enrolled and is no longer under criminal justice authority responsibility for medical care.

Counties, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Corrections, and Department of Human Services must cooperate with the Department by managing eligibility processing and sharing information about detained or incarcerated persons; provisions apply as of December 31, 2011.