Provider Notice issued 12/04/2025

Changes to the Sexual Assault Emergency Treatment Program

This notice informs providers of changes to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ (HFS) Sexual Assault Emergency Treatment Program, in accordance with PA 104-0371, which amends the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA).  

Effective January 1, 2026, the Sexual Assault Emergency Treatment Program will:  

• Provide limited coverage of transportation services from treatment hospitals to the survivor’s residence. A treatment hospital is defined as a hospital with a sexual assault treatment plan approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health (DPH) to provide medical forensic examinations to all sexual assault survivors. 

• Allow a transfer hospital (defined as a hospital with a sexual assault transfer plan approved by DPH) to issue the HFS 3870 – Authorization for Payment Voucher. The voucher allows the survivor to receive follow-up services from other providers for a period of 180 days from the date of the initial emergency room (ER) visit and must accompany any claim submitted to the Department. 

Transportation

Under the Sexual Assault Emergency Treatment Program, HFS covers hospital to hospital transportation for the Medicaid and non-Medicaid survivors through the voucher.  Beginning January 1, 2026, HFS will provide payment for transportation, including taxi or rideshare services, from the treatment hospital to the survivor’s residence or a survivor services shelter.

To receive payment, the treatment hospitals must submit a monthly report of patient transports including both Medicaid and non-Medicaid survivors. The report should be submitted to the sexual assault claims mailbox at HFS.SAClaims@illinois.gov. Please refer to the HFS website for the required template for reimbursement.  

Sexual Assault Survivor Service Voucher

Beginning January 1, 2026, in addition to treatment hospitals, transfer hospitals will have the ability to issue a sexual assault survivor service authorization voucher. All transfer hospitals must be enrolled in the MEDI billing system and may begin enrolling in the MEDI ERSASS system as of December 1, 2025.

To enroll in MEDI ERSASS, the transfer hospital will need to identify the current MEDI Administrator (person who can authorize additional MEDI Users) and their Employee Registration Key. The Department allows only two administrators; therefore, it may be necessary for the hospital to contact its Finance Department for the name of the MEDI Administrator. If unable to identify the MEDI Administrator, please contact the HFS sexual assault treatment program coordinator via email at HFS.ISAETP@illinois.gov.  The email subject line should be MEDI Administrator and should include the hospital’s NPI and/or HFS Provider ID.

The transfer hospitals have the responsibility of issuing vouchers to all non-Medicaid survivors seen in the ER, regardless of if the survivor goes to a treatment hospital. The voucher should be kept in the survivor’s medical records and given to the survivor for follow-up services.

All transfer hospitals are encouraged to view the MEDI system training on the MEDI webpage, if not already familiar with MEDI. If additional training is needed, HFS staff is available. Please send training requests to HFS.ISAETP@illinois.gov.  

A secure mailbox is available for efficient processing time at HFS.SAClaims@illinois.gov. Claims are still accepted via mail.  The mailbox is for the non-Medicaid claims only, all Medicaid claims will need to be submitted electronically following the appropriate Medicaid guidelines. 

Issues unrelated to claim payments should be sent to the sexual assault treatment program information mailbox at HFS.ISAETP@illinois.gov. Questions regarding this notice may be directed to the Bureau of Professional and Ancillary Services at 217-782-3303.

Laura Phelan, Administrator
Division of Medical Programs