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SB 1579

PATIENT RIGHTS

104th Regular Session Introduced by Rachel Ventura and 1 co-sponsor

Illinois SB 1579 expands who is a patient and strengthens rights to information, privacy, dignity, and coordinated care, with opt-out of data sharing.

Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As May 15, 2026
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Bill Summary · SB 1579

Summary — SB 1579 (Patient Rights / Medical Patient Rights Act amendments)

Note on source material
- The documents you provided include two different measures both labeled “SB 1579”: (1) an Arizona budget appropriation for a Ganado waterline project, and (2) an Illinois bill that amends the Medical Patient Rights Act (titled “Patient Rights”). The summary below focuses on the Patient Rights changes (Illinois SB 1579) as requested, with a brief note about the Arizona appropriation that also appears in the packet.

Purpose and intent

Illinois SB 1579 amends the Medical Patient Rights Act to broaden the definition of “patient” and strengthen and expand a patient’s statutory rights regarding information, privacy, dignity, continuity of care, and interactions with outside providers. The intent is to update and clarify patient protections—especially around written information, health‑information sharing choices, basic care needs, and pre‑procedure review of advance directives.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition of “patient”

    • Expands “patient” to explicitly include persons receiving medical and related services in their residence (i.e., home health or in‑home supports).

  • New and clarified patient rights (additions to Sec. 3)

    • Right to be treated with courtesy and respect and to have human and civil rights maintained.
    • Right to have basic human needs (e.g., food, water, medication, toileting, personal hygiene) accommodated in a timely manner; references compliance with 42 CFR 483.10 standards.
    • Right to have a patient’s medical directives (advance directives) reviewed with the health care provider before scheduling procedures or making decisions.
    • Right to continuity and coordination of care across all disciplines serving the patient’s needs.
    • Right for patients receiving services from an outside provider to be told the provider’s identity (name, address, description of services) upon request.

  • Privacy, confidentiality, and information sharing

    • Providers must provide current information in writing on diagnosis, treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis upon request.
    • Adds explicit ability for a patient to opt out (digitally or in writing) of certain health‑information sharing and clarifies that opting out cannot be a basis to deny access to care.
    • Retains existing permissible disclosures (e.g., for treatment, required reporting, peer review, health‑care operations) consistent with federal HIPAA citations referenced in the text.

  • Experimental procedures

    • The bill makes changes to provisions governing experimental procedures (text indicates revisions but not all specifics in the excerpt).

  • Effective date

    • The synopsis states the changes are effective immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Patients in Illinois receiving care from licensed providers, including in‑home service recipients.
  • Hospitals, clinics, physicians, home‑health agencies, health care providers, insurers, and health‑services corporations who must comply with expanded disclosure, coordination, and accommodation requirements.
  • Outside/contracted providers who will be required to be identified to patients upon request.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced in Illinois on 2/4/2025 by Sen. Karina Villa (co‑sponsors noted in the packet).
  • The text provided is the introduced version and legislative synopsis for the Illinois measure; it indicates immediate effectiveness if enacted.
  • Separately, the packet also contains an Arizona appropriation (also labeled SB 1579) that: appropriates $340,000 from the Arizona state general fund for FY 2025–2026 to the Department of Administration to distribute to the Navajo Nation for design, planning, and construction of the Ganado waterline pipeline. That Arizona measure’s legislative actions indicate it was signed by the governor and becomes effective 9/1/2025.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a side‑by‑side comparison of the specific statutory text changes (old vs. new language).
- Draft a one‑page explainer targeted to patients or to providers summarizing compliance obligations.

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

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