LOMBARD, Ill. – State Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, is collecting new knitted hats, wool socks and buff headbands for local breast cancer patients in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“It’s important for our community to rally behind our neighbors who are bravely fighting this disease every single day,” said Costa Howard. “When women with breast cancer wear these hats, headbands and socks, they’ll feel our warm wishes and they’ll know they have an army of supporters who are with them every step of the way.”

Costa Howard is accepting donations Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at her constituent services office, at 913 S. Main St. in Lombard. Residents may arrange an alternative donation time by calling 630-812-9292 or emailing RepTCH48@gmail.com. Donations will be accepted at least through the end of October.

“In Springfield, I’m working to protect vital funding for programs that provide all Illinois women with access to affordable cancer screenings and treatment,” Costa Howard added. “I’m proud to be a leader in this fight on behalf of our mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends.”

DES PLAINES, Ill. – In an effort to protect breast cancer screenings for women, state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, sponsored legislation to guarantee that insurance fully covers a second breast cancer screening if needed following an initial screening.

“Breast cancer screenings are vitally important to the health and well-being of women all over Illinois,” said Moylan. “The screenings could help save lives, and insurance should cover breast cancer screenings whether they’re preventative or something more serious.”

Currently under the law, regularly scheduled mammograms for screenings are considered “preventative” and are full-covered by insurance. However, once a finding of cancer or other condition is found, a follow-up mammogram is no longer considered preventative and therefore is no longer fully-covered with no cost to the patient. The Moylan-backed legislation would reform the current law and mandate that insurance also cover follow-up mammograms at no extra cost to the patient. 

Senate Bill 162 was an initiative of the Susan G. Komen Foundation along with the Illinois Public Health Association. Moylan worked with colleagues across the aisle in both the House and the Senate to get Senate Bill 162 to pass unanimously. The Moylan-sponsored legislation was signed into law late last month.

“This was a no-brainer. I believe its common-sense that women shouldn’t have to carry the cost of such live-saving screenings,” said Moylan. “I would like to thank the governor for taking this issue seriously and for signing the bill into law to protect vital breast cancer screenings for Illinois residents.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, is praising a new law recently signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker that expands coverage for lifesaving breast cancer screenings.

“The health care needs of women are all too often overlooked by insurance companies looking to put their profits before people,” Didech said. “By passing this law, Illinois is making a statement that all women deserve access to quality health care services that fit their needs.”

Didech is a sponsor of Senate Bill 162, now Public Act 101-0580, which requires insurance plans to cover diagnostic mammograms.  A physician typically orders diagnostic mammograms when abnormalities or signs of breast cancer are detected during preventative screenings, but these additional screenings are often not fully covered by insurance providers. Didech hopes this new law will allow more women to access to the lifesaving screenings and treatments they deserve without being subjected to unexpected out-of-pocket costs. The measure goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

“Before this legislation was signed into law, insurance companies could unfairly discriminate against women who had abnormalities show up during routine health screenings and that’s just wrong,” Didech said. “Women’s health care is a fundamental right and we must do everything we can to ensure that right continues to be protected in Illinois, regardless of what Donald Trump and his allies in Washington do.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To ensure that women continue to have access to potentially lifesaving breast cancer screenings, state Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, recently passed legislation to clarify language under the Affordable Care Act that has been interpreted to block access to diagnostic mammograms for women.

“Women that have received abnormal results on their mammograms should have access to the necessary follow-up diagnostic mammogram without the fear that they will be faced with an exorbitant medical bill,” said Costa Howard. “Diagnostic mammograms and other breast cancer screenings have the potential to save lives and are fundamental health care services for women.”

Diagnostic mammograms are designed as a follow-up to evaluate abnormalities seen or suspected on a screening mammogram.  Currently, screening mammograms are considered preventative care, and are covered by all marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act. Costa Howard’s Senate Bill 162, will expand preventative care to cover diagnostic mammograms, ensuring that there is no cost sharing or copayment.  The bill recently passed out of the Illinois House.

“It is critical that women have access to preventative health care, including breast cancer screenings,” continued Costa Howard.  “I will continue fighting to ensure that health care is a fundamental right for women in Illinois.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Sonya M. Harper, D-Chicago, issued the following statement after the adjournment of the General Assembly’s spring legislative session:

“I voted to pass a balanced budget that puts working and middle-class families first, while creating a surplus of funds that will help to pay down the state’s debt. This budget that now heads to Governor Rauner reverses his devastating cuts and protects vital services like the Community Care Program, affordable child care, domestic violence shelters, breast cancer screenings, and provides $350 million in new funding for our local schools. I am proud of the work to pass a budget before the deadline with broad, veto-proof support, but the work to help our most vulnerable has just begun.

“The fight for our schools and our students’ future continues. I will not rest until Chicago Public Schools’ board consists of elected members from neighborhoods across our city instead of unaccountable bureaucrats. Until we have parents participating in a greater capacity in the determination of our student’s education, we are not going to see progressive change in the South Side except for more school closures.

“The families that I represent are demanding an elected school board as well as greater resources to keep our schools open and provide the best education possible to students. I fought this year to require CPS to adhere to new notification standards if and when they seek to close another school in our neighborhood or in the city. Too many times have schools closed on the South Side with no plan in place for students or parents. This has to stop because these people deserve to be treated fairly and equally.

“Over this legislative spring session, the time has come to adopt a progressive fair tax for Illinois to finally require the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share. Illinois’ regressive flat tax requires middle class families to pay the same rate as millionaires and billionaires, which results in an effective tax rate that is nearly twice as high for low and middle-income earners than the wealthiest among us. This could bring in as much as $2 billion in additional revenue that could be used to modernize our schools and ease other taxes that are hurting the middle class.

“In an effort to bring healthier food options to my district, I have been working tirelessly to expand Urban Agriculture Areas in food deserts throughout the state. I’ve been living in the South Side for nearly four decades and the availability to purchase nutritious foods has greatly diminished, forcing many of us to buy food at a gas station or convenience store. My proposal would empower residents to grow and harvest locally grown food to then trade and sell.

“I want my constituents to know that I hear their voices and that their demands will continued to be heard in Springfield. I won’t stop until our students have an equally represented voice on our school board, until the wealthiest pay their fair share and our neighbors have the tools they need to grow their own food. This is the time to stay strong and unified as community.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, is spearheading legislation that could help more women obtain an earlier breast cancer diagnosis by expanding insurance coverage for breast cancer screenings.

“My bill ensures that women in Illinois have access to the most appropriate and most effective means of breast cancer screenings available,” Stuart said. “For some women, mammograms can miss cancer in its earliest stages, when cancer is the most treatable. This legislation can save lives by guaranteeing insurance coverage for MRI screenings in women who may be at a higher risk for tumors missed by a standard mammogram screening.”

Under Senate Bill 314, more women would be able to receive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screenings in addition to a mammogram. While a mammogram is recommended for most women, research has shown that an additional MRI screening can increase detection for breast cancer for women with a strong family history of breast cancer. It does not serve as a replacement, but is considered an important complementary screening tool. Some insurance companies do not cover the breast MRI screenings, which has provided the need for Senate Bill 314.

“Breast cancer is something that affects our mothers, our sisters, our families and our friends,” Stuart said. “I believe everyone who has ever been affected would want to make sure that we are taking every step possible to increase early detection and save lives. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill out of the House.”

For more information, please contact Stuart’s constituent service office at 618-365-6650, or at RepKatieStuart@gmail.com.