SB3819 Summary

• Requires health insurance policies, managed care plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover community-based pediatric palliative care and hospice care for children with serious illnesses, effective January 1, 2024.

• Permits children receiving pediatric palliative care to continue pursuing curative treatment and disease-directed therapies while receiving care from an interdisciplinary team.

• Applies definitions of "palliative care" and "serious illness" from the Pediatric Palliative Care Act to the insurance coverage requirements.

• Extends coverage requirements to state employees, counties, municipalities, and school districts that provide self-insured health benefits.

• Adds Section 356z.53 to the Illinois Insurance Code and updates multiple state acts to include references to pediatric palliative care coverage mandates.