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Kane County staff weigh options after state law requires first-dollar mental-health coverage for first responders
Summary
Kane County Human Services Committee discussed implementing a new Illinois statute requiring first-dollar mental health counseling for first responders by June 1 and whether to add benefits to existing plans or create separate first-responder plans.
Kane County Human Services Committee members on March 12 discussed how the county will implement a newly passed Illinois statute that requires first responders to receive mental health counseling with $0 copays and $0 deductibles starting June 1.
Jamie, Department of Human Resource Management, told the committee the statute is codified as 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.4 and will require “first dollar” coverage in the county’s group health plans. Jamie said the county’s HSA plan is exempt under the statute but the county’s HMO and PPO will need modification unless the county creates separate first-responder versions of its plans.
The statute covers corrections officers, deputy sheriffs and 9-1-1 operators, but Jamie said the county currently does not classify those workers the way the statute defines the group. “We don't currently have that classification,” Jamie said, noting new employee classifications and administrative work would be needed if the county chose separate first-responder plans rather than adding the coverage to all plans.
Committee members pressed on timing and costs. The statute takes effect June 1, leaving limited time to change plan designs before midyear renewals or adjustments. Committee member Linder asked whether a separate plan would be only for mental-health services; Jamie replied that creating separate plans would mean full separate PPO and HMO offerings so eligible employees could keep choice of plan type.
Several members urged staff to get more detailed cost and enrollment estimates from the county’s broker and carrier and to identify exactly which employees would qualify under the statutory definition. Jamie said staff already had preliminary conversations with the county’s broker and Blue Cross and that the HSA plan would remain unaffected but the HMO and PPO would need to be modified to meet the first-dollar requirement.
The committee did not take a formal vote but directed Human Resources to continue analysis and to follow up with committee members by email. Jamie said she will send details to the committee and invited members to provide input and help finalize classification and cost estimates before June 1.
The discussion made clear trade-offs: adding the benefit to all enrollees would be administratively simpler but more costly; creating separate first-responder plans would be administratively complex and require new classifications for employees such as 9-1-1 operators who are not sworn officers under existing county designations.
Committee members asked staff to provide broker cost estimates, an enrollment count of eligible employees under the statute’s definitions, and recommendations on whether to amend existing plans or create separate first-responder plan designs.
For transparency, Jamie will email members with further details and any recommended next steps before the county must implement plan changes on June 1.
