IL HB5179

Requires hospitals and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to ensure opioid-related overdose or withdrawal patients are admitted on inpatient status when medically necessary, using American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria.

Mandates hospitals coordinate with community-based substance use disorder and mental health providers through warm handoffs, 24/7 access prior to discharge, implementation of treatment and recovery programs, and other Department-established programs.

Hospitals must provide 24/7 access to transitioning patients prior to discharge and work with community-based providers to fully implement substance use disorder treatment and recovery supports.

Hospitals that fail to coordinate care and treatment with community-based providers before discharging a patient shall forfeit reimbursement for any observation or admission services provided to that patient.

Addresses disproportionately high opioid-related fatality rates among African Americans in under-resourced Illinois communities and the high rate of hospital readmission when patients are not properly linked to treatment.