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HB 2555

FAMILY HOME HEALTH AIDES ACT

104th Regular Session Introduced by Lindsey LaPointe and 1 co-sponsor

Creates an Illinois Family Home Health Aide Program to train/certify relatives as aides for Medicaid HCBS, with supervision, respite, and verified care to expand in-home services.

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Bill Summary · HB 2555

Summary — HB 2555: Support for Family Home Health Aides and Caregivers Act

Status: Introduced (IL) — Added Co‑Sponsor Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (4/9/2025)
Introduced: Feb 4–6, 2025
Primary sponsor: Rep. Lindsey LaPointe. Other sponsors/cosponsors: Patty Contreras, Mae Peshlakai, Brian Garcia, Aaron Márquez, Camille Y. Lilly.

Note: file materials provided include text from an Illinois bill titled the Support for Family Home Health Aides and Caregivers Act (HB2555) and unrelated Arizona appropriation language for a Ganado traffic light project. This summary covers the Illinois Family Home Health Aide Act.

Purpose

Establish a state program to train and certify family caregivers (parents, guardians, relatives) as “family home health aides” so they can safely supplement home health and private duty nursing services for medically fragile Medicaid beneficiaries. The goal is to expand access to in‑home care amid a shortage of direct care workers while preserving clinical oversight and quality.

Key provisions

  • Program establishment: Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) must establish a Family Home Health Aide Program no later than one year after the Act’s effective date.
  • Training and certification: HFS will approve training (developed in consultation with private duty and home care providers and stakeholders). Family caregivers who complete approved training and meet State and federal requirements may be certified as family home health aides.
  • Medicaid participation: Subject to federal approval by CMS, certified family home health aides may provide qualified home health services to eligible relatives under home- and community‑based services (HCBS) waivers authorized by the Social Security Act.
  • Definitions: Specifies terms such as “eligible relative” (individual of any age who is medically fragile and Medicaid‑eligible), “family caregiver,” “family home health aide,” and “designated home care provider.”
  • Clinical standards & supervision:
    • Requires development of a clinical acuity tool to triage services by clinical need.
    • Establishes clinical supervision requirements for medically fragile beneficiaries receiving services from family members employed by the same agency to ensure continuity/safety.
  • Respite program: Creates a respite program for family home health aides and other nursing professionals to provide temporary relief to caregivers.
  • Reimbursement & workforce considerations: Directs establishment of competitive reimbursement rates for services while aiming not to discourage careers in private duty nursing or home health.
  • Integrity & reporting: Requires use of electronic verification/visit verification systems to deter fraud, waste, and abuse; includes reporting metrics and rulemaking authority for program implementation.

Who is affected

  • Family caregivers (parents, guardians, relatives) who may seek certification and compensated employment to provide care.
  • Medically fragile individuals of any age who are Medicaid beneficiaries and may receive care from certified family home health aides.
  • Private duty nursing and home care providers that participate as designated agencies.
  • Department of Healthcare and Family Services (program design, oversight, rulemaking) and federal partners (CMS approval for Medicaid payment under waivers).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Program must be established within one year of the Act’s effective date.
  • Certification and Medicaid payment for family aides hinge on HFS rulemaking and any required federal (CMS) approvals for HCBS waiver coverage.
  • Legislative actions (IL): Filed Feb 4, 2025; referred to Rules Committee, Appropriations‑Health & Human Services; readings noted in provided actions. Co‑sponsorship added Apr 9, 2025.

Potential impacts (anticipated)

  • Increase access to in‑home care for medically fragile Medicaid beneficiaries by formally enabling trained family caregivers to deliver some services.
  • Help address workforce shortages in home health and private duty nursing while implementing safeguards (training, supervision, verification) to maintain quality and limit fraud.
  • Implementation details (scope of allowable tasks, reimbursement levels, supervision structure) will depend on HFS rulemaking and CMS decisions about Medicaid waiver participation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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