Harper Enacts Reforms to Make Healthcare More Affordable, Expand Access to Care

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois families will have access to better and more affordable health care coverage under new laws backed by state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, aiming to
reduce costs and hold big insurance companies accountable.

“Blazing a trail toward a brighter future for every community in our state means making sure that all families can get the care they need without having to jump through hoops that only exist to line the pockets of big insurance,” Harper said. “Ending corporate step therapy and pre-authorization gimmicks that are used to deny care improves health care access and lifts up everyone in Illinois.”

The Harper-backed House Bill 5395 and House Bill 2499 were signed into law Wednesday, delivering a series of major reforms to make health care coverage better and more affordable. The new Health Care Protection Act would create a rate review process requiring insurance companies to justify premium increases, and empowering state watchdogs to reject unwarranted hikes that simply pad profits.

Additionally, the measure curbs gimmicks insurance companies use to deny access to medically necessary treatments, procedures, and prescription medications, including step therapy—where insurance companies require a patient to ‘try and fail’ with cheap, ineffective treatments before covering the prescribed treatment or medication. Under the Healthcare Protection Act, doctors and patients will now be empowered to make important medical decisions—not insurance companies.

These measures also stop insurance companies from selling inadequate short-term healthcare plans that provide little or no coverage.