ProviderRateUpdate

For additional questions about the Early Intervention program, please contact IDEC at Questions.IDEC@illinois.gov.

As always, stakeholders receive updates through official communications, including additional Provider Information Notices and other IDEC notices posted at https://providerconnections.org/ or visit the updated IDEC website at idec.illinois.gov and sign up for the newsletter.

Each year, IDEC works with the Governor's Office to support the development of the Governor's Budget Proposal for the upcoming state fiscal year. IDEC then works with the Illinois General Assembly (ILGA) to advance the Governor's budget proposal through the ILGA, which has to pass the budget. IDEC will use all [...]

IDEC does not expect widespread or systemic disruptions to billing. As the state has done with previous rate increases, IDEC will work with the Early Intervention Central Billing Office to make the changes necessary to update payment amounts for service dates on and after October 1, 2026.

Similar to last year, IDEC targeted this rate increase specifically at provider types paid at or below 50% of modeled costs, based on the best available data. Following the FY 2026 rate increases, certain services, such as nutrition, nursing, and interpretation and translation, are already closer to the modeled cost to [...]

Audiology: 22% Aural Rehab: 2% Developmental Therapy: 4% Occupational Therapy: 2% Physical Therapy: 7% Psychology: 2% Social Work: 2% Vision: 4% Certain services, such as service coordination, will not receive rate increases, as well as others since they are already at or above 50% of modeled costs, including: Interpretation/Translation Medical Diagnostics [...]

In 2023, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Early Childhood commissioned the cost model study to better understand the decline of Early Intervention (EI) providers in Illinois and to quantify what it will take to expand the supply of providers. The cost model is not a funding formula [...]

IDEC developed the updated provider rates using a range of information and tools, including the recent Early Intervention cost model. We updated rates for providers whose rates are currently at or below 50% of the modeled cost. Every provider is now at 50% or more than the modeled cost.

Of the $15 million of increased appropriations for the Early Intervention program, $5.5 million is for maintenance of the existing program services, about $3.5 million is for provider rate increases, and $6 million is to begin to make systemic improvements in the operating systems to drive greater equity and efficiency. These [...]

New rates will take effect October 1, 2026.