(The Center Square) – A measure to modify Illinois’ health insurance regulations that is estimated to cost state taxpayers an extra $30 million a year and impact a small portion of state-regulated insurance plans is now heading to the Illinois Senate.
Late Thursday, the Illinois House passed House Bill 5395. The measure, known as the Healthcare Protection Act, does several things for state-regulated insurance, which include state employee health insurance plans that already are projected to increase taxpayer costs.
“Tonight, we made enormous progress to curb predatory insurance practices and empower patients and their doctors,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Pritzker said next week he’ll be traveling across the state to herald the legislation as it gets picked up by the Senate.
“This bill will save lives and lower health care costs for millions of Illinoisans,” Pritzker said.
The governor’s office had previously said the measure would ban step therapy, ban prior authorization for crisis mental health care, improve network adequacy and end unchecked rate increases for large group insurance companies.
“One of the major changes that we’re making with this bill is ensuring that when someone is having an acute mental health crisis, that they can’t be turned away from inpatient care at the hospital because of arbitrary insurance rules,” said state Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin.
During debate in the House late Thursday, state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, said there may be good things in the bill, but questioned the cost and impact.
“Ultimately, I think this is going to be a large increase to the state of Illinois,” Davidsmeyer said. “It’s going to be an increased cost to taxpayers because the majority of our taxpayers will not be covered by this.”
Davidsmeyer also questioned how the measure would impact the state’s taxpayer-subsidized health insurance plans for non-citizens, something costing Illinois taxpayers nearly $700 million a year.