MedicaidCoverageMedium impact
(SMART) Act Changes and its Effect on DCFS Children
Illinois Medicaid - HFS·IL·Provider Notice
Effective date
Jul 1, 2012
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
The SMART Act clarifies that DCFS children in foster care and related programs retain full Medicaid benefits without service reductions or co-payments, despite broader Medicaid cuts. New utilization controls apply to in-home nursing, durable medical equipment requires prior approval, and incontinence supplies are limited to 200 units per month for children 4 and older.
Action Required
Immediately: Billing team must identify patients with '98' Medicaid case numbers (DCFS children) in billing system. Ensure no co-payments are charged to these patients. Implement prior authorization requirements for durable medical equipment for DCFS children. Update billing rules to limit incontinence supply claims to maximum 200 units per month and verify patient is age 4 or older before billing.