Rep. Barbara Hernandez Passes Legislation Providing Health Assistance to Expectant Parents, Prenatal Vitamins

AURORA, Ill. – State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, recently passed legislation to cut the costs of prescribed prenatal vitamins for expectant mothers by including them in individual and group health insurance policies.

“Expectant mothers who are just trying to stay healthy and follow the directions of their physicians should not have opportunities cut off because low-quality health coverage makes prenatal vitamins prohibititvely expensive,” Hernandez said. “Bearing a child takes a lot of nutrients, and children born without the vitamins they need are more likely to have unsafe births and defects which can affect them for the rest of their lives.”

Hernandez recently passed House Bill 4338, which requires that physician-recommended prenatal vitamins are covered on all individual and group accident and health insurance policies that include prescription drug benenfits. She is supported in this measure by numerous advocacy groups, including Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, She Votes Illinois, the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It passed the House with strong bipartisan support and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Hernandez has also passed numerous other reproductive health bills in past sessions, including several measures to expand access to menstrual hygiene products in schools. She is currently working on passing House Bill 4218, which guarentees menstrual hygiene products to female-bodied Illinoisans who are encaretated.

“Reproductive health is a priority for me, and I plan to continue to fight to make sure female-bodied Illinoisans have access to services and products they need to maintain their reproductive health whatever their circumstances or backgrounds are,” Hernandez said. “For too long, these needs have not gotten the attention they deserve, but I am here to make sure that changes.”