IDPH Provides Additional Clinical Guidance, Forms for ‘Medical Aid in Dying’ Law
This weekend, the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) issued a State of Illinois Rapid Electronic Notification (SIREN) system alert that provides an overview of the Illinois End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (P.A. 104-0441), or the “medical aid in dying law,” which took effect Saturday, Sept. 12 for all except those excluded by an injunction, as discussed below. Information included in the IDPH SIREN alert can be found here. Also included on the IDPH website is information for physicians, including links to related required documents, such as the:
The IDPH website also provides a webpage here that includes relevant information for patients on end-of-life options for the terminally ill.
A federal judge Friday afternoon approved a temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit (Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, Inc. v. Prince, Case no. 1:26-cv-10665) filed to block the Act from taking effect. However, the injunction is limited to the plaintiffs in the case, which include healthcare entities acting under Cardinal Cupich’s authority and those providing care on Plaintiffs’ premises.
A judgement was also issued in another lawsuit (Kirchoff v. Treto, et al., No. 26-CV-9628) on Aug. 21, in which the judge in that case temporarily halted enforcement and/or discipline by the State of Illinois against the named Plaintiffs, but not against anyone else. The named Plaintiffs in that case are “Catholic health care entities in the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., under Plaintiff Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki’s authority.”
The Department emphasized that practitioners and entities should familiarize themselves with the specifics of applicable laws and consult legal counsel about their legal rights and obligations. IDPH noted that potentially relevant statutes and legal authorities outside this Act, such as the Health Care Right of Conscience Act, are beyond the scope of the provided guidance.
Staff contact: Karen Harris
State Begins Notifying People of Pending Medicaid Coverage Loss—HFS Webinar TOMORROW
The Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has reportedly begun issuing letters to Medicaid enrollees at risk of losing their health insurance as a result of the new eligibility requirements that will begin to take effect in 2027. The letter sent by HFS informs individuals that they may be subject to work requirements to keep their Medicaid coverage, and underscores that beginning in 2027 the new federal law requires some people with Medicaid to redetermine their eligibility every six months, instead of on an annual basis. The letter provides compliance guidance, exemption information and additional FAQs to assist those who will be impacted by the law.
HFS is hosting a webinar, “Common Questions and Answers Regarding Medicaid Changes,” on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 1-2:00 p.m. CT. This webinar is part of a series focused on the anticipated Medicaid changes under H.R. 1. Additional webinars are also planned in the coming months. To register for this webinar, and view other upcoming webinars, click here.
In addition to this webinar series, HFS has released Phase 2 of their communications toolkit to support stakeholder education and planning efforts. This toolkit encourages broad public awareness on who may be impacted by these changes, who is exempt, and how to meet the new requirements and continue Medicaid coverage. These resources include the toolkit presentation, flyer and palm card.
CDC, FDA Declare Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Iceberg Lettuce Over
The multistate cyclospora outbreak that caused more than 570 hospitalizations and two deaths across 21 states was declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday. The CDC said the number of recent infections has “significantly declined” and that contaminated lettuce linked to the outbreak is no longer available in stores or restaurants. There were more than 12,880 cyclosporiasis cases, including nearly 300 in Illinois. The notice said the FDA continues to investigate the cause of the contamination, which is linked to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms grown in Mexico.
Nominations open for Modern Healthcare’s 40 Under 40 Awards
Nominations open today for Modern Healthcare’s 40 Under 40 awards program. The program recognizes individuals who have made their mark on healthcare relatively early in their careers. Those younger than 40 as of Dec. 31 can click here to submit a nomination. The nominations close Nov. 23. Modern Healthcare said the 40 Under 40 program, previously known at different times as Emerging Leaders and Rising Stars, honors individuals who are making a measurable impact on the healthcare industry relatively early in their careers.
Illinois Respiratory Disease Surveillance Data
The Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard from the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) provides the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data. IDPH also tracks COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information through the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System dashboard.
Briefly Noted
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) released a recent survey that highlights ongoing cancer medication shortages across the country. NCCN said that 100% of responding cancer centers are experiencing a shortage of at least one anti-cancer agent, with more than 20% currently experiencing a shortage of five or more medications. Notably, 94% of respondents indicated a critical shortage of ifosfamide, which is a generic chemotherapy used to treat a variety of cancers, and 71% reported a shortage of carboplatin, a key chemotherapy the NCCN said is used as the “backbone of regimens” to treat a number of different types of tumors.
Leading the News
