SB 500

Abstract

Amends the Illinois Anatomical Gift Act. Deletes language providing that no hospital, physician and surgeon, procurement organization, or other person shall determine the ultimate recipient of an anatomical gift based upon a potential recipient's physical or mental disability, except to the extent that the physical or mental disability has been found by a physician and surgeon, following a case-by-case evaluation of the potential recipient, to be medically significant to the provision of the anatomical gift. Provides instead that a hospital, physician and surgeon, procurement organization, or other person shall not, solely on the basis of an individual's mental or physical disability: deem an individual ineligible to receive an anatomical gift or organ transplant; deny medical and other services related to organ transplantation, including evaluation, surgery, counseling, postoperative treatment, and services; refuse to refer the individual to a transplant center or other related specialist for the purpose of evaluation for or receipt of an organ transplant; refuse to place an individual on an organ transplant waiting list or place an individual at a lower priority position on the waiting list than the position at which the individual would have been placed if not for the individual's disability; or decline insurance coverage for any procedure associated with the receipt of the anatomical gift, including posttransplantation care. Provides that a hospital, physician and surgeon, procurement organization, or other person may take an individual's disability into account when making treatment or coverage recommendations or decisions solely to the extent that the physical or mental disability has been found by a physician or surgeon, following an individualized evaluation of the potential recipient, to be medically significant to the provision of the anatomical gift. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following changes: Provides that a hospital, physician and surgeon, procurement organization, or other person shall not, solely on the basis of an individual's mental or physical disability, if an individual has the necessary support system to assist the individual in complying with posttransplant medical requirements, consider the individual's inability to independently comply with posttransplant medical requirements to be medically significant. Provides that a covered entity shall make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures to allow individuals with disabilities access to transplantation-related services, unless the covered entity can demonstrate that making such modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of such services. Provides that a covered entity shall take steps necessary to ensure that an individual with a disability is not denied medical services or other services related to organ transplantation due to the absence of auxiliary aids or services, unless the covered entity demonstrates that taking the steps would fundamentally alter the nature of the medical services or other services related to organ transplantation or would result in an undue burden for the covered entity. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes language providing that: a covered entity shall make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures to allow individuals with disabilities access to transplantation-related services unless the covered entity can demonstrate that making such modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of such services; and a covered entity shall take steps necessary to ensure that an individual with a disability is not denied medical services or other services related to organ transplantation, due to the absence of auxiliary aids or services, unless the covered entity demonstrates that taking the steps would fundamentally alter the nature of the medical services or other services related to organ transplantation or would result in an undue burden for the covered entity. Provides instead that a covered entity shall comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its implementing regulations in making reasonable modifications to its policies or procedures in response to a request from an individual with disabilities regarding access to transplantation-related services. Adds a definition for "covered entity".