Bill
HB 2785
The act clarifies emergency services and ambulance billing, including nonparticipating providers, and updates credit union governance, audits, and information-sharing to protect vu
Status: Enrolled as Public Act 104‑0248 (104th Illinois General Assembly). Governor approved August 15, 2025; effective August 15, 2025.
Summary
This omnibus bill makes two principal sets of changes under Illinois law: (1) multiple amendments to the Illinois Credit Union Act (governance, record‑sharing and audit procedures, and merger authority); and (2) statutory revisions to the Illinois Insurance Code (Section 356z.3a) clarifying definitions and billing rules for emergency services and nonparticipating providers (including ground ambulance services). The Act was passed by both houses and signed by the Governor on August 15, 2025.
Key provisions — Credit unions (Illinois Credit Union Act)
- Member financial records: clarifies the definition of “financial records” and enumerates permissible disclosures and exceptions. Adds explicit authority for a credit union to furnish information to persons on a list submitted and periodically updated by a member who is an elderly person or a person with a disability when the credit union suspects financial exploitation.
- Permitted recipients can include co‑owners, additional authorized signatories, beneficiaries, or specified family members (parent, spouse, adult child, sibling), with limits on information disclosed.
- Information sharing for suspected exploitation: expands and clarifies circumstances under which credit unions may share member information with law enforcement, the Department on Aging, guardians, inspectors general, and other entities when exploitation of elderly or disabled members is suspected.
- Board meeting frequency: a credit union whose CAMELS (composite) supervisory rating is 1 or 2 and whose management rating is 1 or 2 may hold board meetings not less than 4 times per year (reduced from 6).
- Supervisory committee audits: raises the asset threshold and revises when the supervisory committee may or must engage a licensed certified public accountant (changes asset bands referenced; final text provides option for supervisory committee of credit unions with assets under $10,000,000 to engage a CPA).
- Mergers on supervisory concern: permits mergers to proceed without certain voting/notice requirements where supervisory concerns exist and where the boards of the merging/continuing credit unions agree, confirmed by a majority vote of directors present at properly noticed board meetings.
- Other technical and conforming edits to Sections 10, 29, 34, and 63 of the Act.
Key provisions — Insurance Code (Section 356z.3a)
- Definitions: revises and expands definitions related to emergency services, “ancillary services,” “emergency department,” “emergency medical condition,” “emergency ground ambulance service,” “ground ambulance service provider,” and “nonparticipating emergency facility.” Clarifies what constitutes ancillary services (e.g., emergency medicine, anesthesiology, radiology, pathology), and addresses advanced diagnostic lab tests excluded per federal list.
- Ground ambulance: defines “ground ambulance service” to include transport and non‑transport services (evaluation without transport, treatment without transport, paramedic intercept) when performed by vehicles/personnel licensed under the EMS Systems Act. Introduces concept of an “average gross charge rate” for nonparticipating ground ambulance providers based on a 12‑month period ending June 30 preceding reporting.
- Emergency services billing and stabilization: clarifies that emergency services include screening exams and ancillary services routinely available in the ED and further treatment required to stabilize, and defines when post‑stabilization services cease to be emergency services consistent with federal law (42 U.S.C. 300gg‑111 and implementing regulations).
- Nonparticipating providers/facilities: refines when items and services furnished by nonparticipating providers are treated as ancillary and when nonparticipating facilities are identified for billing balance and cost‑sharing purposes.
Who is affected
- Credit unions (state‑chartered), their boards, supervisory committees, members (particularly elderly and persons with disabilities), auditors and CPA firms, and regulators (Department of Financial and Professional Regulation).
- Health insurers, insured individuals, hospitals and emergency departments, freestanding emergency centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and nonparticipating providers — notably ground ambulance services — which are subject to revised definitions and billing/reporting rules.
Procedural / timeline notes
- Extensive committee and floor activity in both chambers; Senate amendments were concurred by the House. Sent to the Governor June 24, 2025; Governor approved August 15, 2025. Effective date: August 15, 2025 (Public Act 104‑0248).
Implications
- For credit unions: increased flexibility to disclose information to protect vulnerable members, relaxed meeting frequency for highly rated institutions, and modified audit/oversight thresholds and merger mechanics—changes that affect governance, compliance, and operational procedures.
- For health billing: clearer statutory definitions related to emergency services and ambulance billing aim to align state billing practice with federal standards, affect balance‑billing disputes, and create reporting/charge‑calculation duties for certain nonparticipating ground ambulance providers.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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