BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – To guarantee the safety of children with diabetes, state Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, backed a new law allowing schools to maintain a supply of potentially lifesaving medication to manage blood-sugar levels.

“Children who are dealing with serious medical problems because of diabetes need to know they have a safety net in case of an emergency,” Pappas said. “When they’re called on in critical situations, schools nurses and other medical professionals need to be prepared, and that means having the right medication to deal with any problem. Right now, they are unable to provide necessary care due to outdated regulations about which medicines they can stock and administer. That has to change before there are serious consequences.”

Pappas co-sponsored House Bill 822, which provides that schools may maintain a supply of glucagon, a medication to rapidly raise a patient’s blood-sugar levels. Glucagon can be lifesaving for diabetics, who may face serious health risks due to extremely low blood sugar. The measure received robust bipartisan support and was recently signed into law.

“I want a safer Illinois for the next generation of kids, which we can do by removing barriers to good medical treatment,” Pappas said, “whether they come in the form of overpriced prescription drugs, unreliable insurance plans or a poorly-supplied medical staff. It’s time for a new system. Our children deserve to grow up knowing their school nurses are ready to help in an emergency.”

AURORA, Ill. – Legislation backed by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, to require insurance companies to cover epinephrine injection devices for children was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“Life-threatening food allergies are very common among children and teens, and EpiPens are necessary to combat serious effects from anaphylaxis but can come at a very high cost,” said Hernandez. “This bill is important because it ensures that children’s health care is prioritized over profit.”

Hernandez supported House Bill 3435, which makes Illinois the first state to require all private and public insurers to cover epinephrine injectors, or EpiPens, for those 18 years old and younger. EpiPens are injectors that treat severe allergic reactions to insect bites, drugs, foods and other substances. The price of EpiPens has increased by more than 400% in recent years, forcing many families to pay over $600 out of pocket for medically necessary treatments.

“All families deserve access to quality health care, and that means ensuring that the medication and treatment they need is affordable,” said Hernandez. “I am proud that our state is the first in the country to pass such important legislation, and I hope we are setting an example for the rest of the country to do the same.”

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – Illinois insurance companies will be required to cover EpiPens for minors after legislation supported by state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“For people with severe allergies, EpiPens are a must-have item,” Mussman said. “It is critical that EpiPens are affordable and that the health and well-being of children is prioritized over insurance company profit. This legislation ensures that families can better afford the treatments that their children need.”

The Mussman-backed House Bill 3435 will require health insurance providers to cover the cost of medically necessary epinephrine injectors, or EpiPens, for children 18 years old and younger. EpiPens are pre-filled syringes approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that contain a pre-measured dosage of epinephrine. Epinephrine can help treat severe allergic reactions to insects, foods and other substances by expanding the airways, ensuring the ability to breathe.

“We already know that EpiPens save lives, so we need to make sure that they’re affordable for the people who need them,” Mussman said.  “I am grateful that the governor signed this measure into law, because we must ensure that people have access to the lifesaving medications they need.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is calling attention to reforms of the children’s mental health system in Illinois.

“Children with serious mental health issues are some of our most vulnerable people,” Lilly said. “We must do everything we can in order to make sure those children are getting the care they need because early diagnosis and access to appropriate services can make the difference in the lives of children with serious mental illnesses.”

Lilly backed House Bill 2154 to require insurance companies to cover evidence-based treatment for serious mental illnesses among children, including community-based treatments that consist of teams of medical, behavioral and rehabilitation professionals. This will ensure that private insurance companies are conforming to treatment plans offered under Medicaid.

The Lilly-backed law will also create working groups dedicated to recommending additional reforms that will allow Illinois to achieve the goals of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). The FFPSA, signed into law in 2018, reforms federal child welfare financing with the goal of preventing at-risk children from entering the foster care system by allowing federal reimbursement for children’s mental health services.

“A child’s mental health is as critical to their wellbeing as their physical health and serious mental illnesses can even lead to deteriorated physical health,” Lilly said. “By ensuring that families can access comprehensive treatments in their community for children with serious mental illnesses, we can help this vulnerable population achieve healthy social and emotional development.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new law supported by state Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Northlake, bans smoking in cars when children are present.

“The health and well-being of children should not be subject to the dangers of secondhand smoke while they are present in a vehicle,” Willis said. “A child cannot easily remove themselves from that type of situation, and this new law will protect children from secondhand smoke exposure.”  

Willis supported House Bill 2276, which prohibits anyone from smoking in a vehicle, moving or not, while there is a minor under the age of 17 in the vehicle. The legislation passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support earlier this session and was recently signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker. According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, even smoke in vehicles with rolled down windows can pose a significant secondhand risk to children and other passengers. The American Lung Association notes that secondhand smoke has caused more than 150,000 lower respiratory tract infections among infants as old as 18 months each year.

Willis also supported Illinois’ Tobacco 21 law that raised the minimum smoking age to 21 in order to protect minors.

“Laws like these are no-brainers, and Illinois should take more steps to protect young children from smoking and secondhand smoke,” Willis said. “I will always fight to ensure that our children’s wellness comes first.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Big insurance companies will have to cover diagnostic mammograms under a new law supported by state Rep. John Connor, D-Lockport, which combats big insurance companies’ efforts to deny patients coverage for critical procedures.

“We want health insurance to make us healthier, not abandon us when we face our our most frightening battle, the battle for our survival against conditions like cancer.  Big insurance companies are endangering countless women who may not be able to afford critical procedures,” Connor said. “Diagnostic mammograms save lives and drastically improve womens’ odds in the fight against breast cancer.  Mammograms more than pay for themselves in the cost savings accomplished by early detection.  But big insurance doesn’t want to pay for them.  It is beyond reprehensible that they are willing to endanger so many lives just for the sake of a better bottom line.”

Connor voted to pass Senate Bill 162, which requires insurance companies to cover diagnostic mammograms, which are typically done to follow up and collect more information after a preventative screening indicated signs of breast cancer. Currently, regularly-scheduled preventative mammograms must be covered, but physician-requested diagnostic mammograms are not, and patients are forced to share the cost of the procedure. Connor’s legislation received strong bipartisan support and was recently signed into law.

In 2016, the CDC reported 17.3 million mammograms. In about 12% of cases, women were called back for another, more thorough diagnostic mammogram—which is currently not covered by many health insurance providers. Estimates indicate that doctors regularly requesting a second mammogram has lowered cancer mortality by about 40%.

“I’ve pledged to build a stronger Illinois, and that means ensuring that what someone earns doesn’t determine whether they get the treatment they need,” Connor said. “Big insurance companies want to be penny wise and pound foolish as they ransom women’s health care needs. I want to say loud and clear that they’re wrong.”

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. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is battling big insurance companies who deny coverage for critical mammograms by helping pass a new law requiring insurers to cover the lifesaving procedure that can find breast cancer before it becomes untreatable.

“Too often, big insurance companies are more focused on their bottom line than patient care, putting people’s lives in danger,” Pappas said. “Diagnostic mammograms save countless lives every year, and insurance companies want to make them harder to pay for. I’m not OK with that, and this law is one way to ensure women have access to essential, life-saving care.”

Pappas voted to pass Senate Bill 162, which expands coverage for mammograms. Pappas’ legislation would require insurance companies to cover diagnostic mammograms, which are typically done to follow up and collect more information after a preventative screening that indicated signs of breast cancer. Currently, regularly-scheduled preventative mammograms must be covered, but physician-requested diagnostic mammograms are not, forcing patients to share the cost of the procedure. Pappas’s legislation received strong bipartisan support and was recently signed into law.

In 2016, the CDC reported that 17.3 million mammograms were done throughout the country. In about 12 percent of cases, women were called back for another, more thorough diagnostic mammogram —which is currently not covered by many health insurance plans, despite estimates that indicate having a second mammogram has lowered breast cancer mortality by about 40 percent.

“Breast cancer treatment is extremely effective, and if we catch it early, very straightforward. But if insurance companies are raising prices for diagnostic mammograms, which are a doctor’s number one tool for early detection, then people may delay or even skip them, making it more difficult to treat cancer if not caught early enough,” Pappas said. “Raising prices for diagnostic mammograms will undoubtedly end up costing people their lives, and we can’t let that happen. I am committed to building a stronger Illinois where no one loses access to health care because of how much money they have.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is helping ensure the safety of children with diabetes with a new law allowing schools to maintain a supply of potentially lifesaving medication to manage blood-sugar levels.

These changes are in response to the actions of an East Moline school nurse, Jennifer Jacobs, who aided a 7th grader in distress by administering a critical blood-sugar drug, glucagon, which had been designated for another student.

“We need to do all we can to make sure that children facing the challenges of diabetes are safe. One of our community’s school nurses, Jennifer Jacobs, knew that when she helped a student last year even though the law didn’t authorize it,” Halpin said. “Jennifer risked serious legal consequences to do the right thing. She should never have had to take that risk. This legislation will guarantee schools have access to vital diabetes medication and their medical professionals won’t have to hesitate to use it.”

Halpin sponsored House Bill 822, which provides that schools may maintain a supply of glucagon: medication to rapidly raise a patient’s blood-sugar levels. Glucagon can be lifesaving for diabetics, who may face serious health risks due to extremely low blood sugar. The bill received bipartisan support and was recently signed into law.

“I’m a parent, and I want the schools my kids attend to be prepared for every kind of emergency. I know all parents want the same thing for their kids,” Halpin said. “There are instances, whether because of cost or other factors, when children won’t have this medication when they really need it. Our schools must be ready in those crisis situations.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. John Connor, D-Lockport, is combatting tragic school shootings and promoting suicide prevention with a bill requiring the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide a database of resources available to people around troubled teens to help prevent student mental health problems.

“Illinois is not doing nearly enough to curb teen violence and suicide, and there are simple changes that can make a world of difference,” Connor said. “After tragedy strikes, the words we often hear from people who knew the victim are, ‘If only we had known about the help that was available…’ I want to ensure that families and other school workers know where they can find help for a kid that’s having a hard time. I’m grateful to Gov. Pritzker for joining me in tackling such a pressing issue.”

Connor’s House Bill 907 requires the DHS to make a database of information on mental health treatment options available on their website for parents, teachers, school social workers and any others who might be able to provide help. The goal is to further an environment of information sharing and understanding about the underlying causes and treatments for bullying, depression and other problems which can lead to school shootings and suicide. Gov. Pritzker recently signed this legislation into law.

“Having prosecuted people who committed multiple murders, it’s disheartening to look at timelines of tragedies and see the impact that one small action at the right moment could have had,” Connor said. “Right now, we’re in a position to take those actions and avert those tragedies. My legislation won’t cost taxpayers anything, and if it saves even one life, it will have been worth the effort hundreds of times over.”