SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A law backed by state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, will make it easier for patients to get critical medications by streamlining the process pharmacies use to fill prescriptions.

“The bureaucracy imposed by insurance companies is clogging our health care system with red tape and making it harder for patients to get medications they need on time,” Halpin said. “Our community deserves a streamlined prescription-filling process built around keeping them healthy, not boosting an insurance executive’s bottom line.”

Halpin worked to pass House Bill 2160, which requires the Department of Insurance (DOI) and the Department of Health and Family Services (HFS) to develop simple, uniform authorization forms for prescription drugs, which providers and insurers must use. There are currently numerous unique authorization forms necessary for every specific insurer; Halpin’s new law combines those forms into one for commercial insurers and one for managed care organizations. The bill received bipartisan support and is now law.

“I’ve been working hard build a stronger Illinois because we can do better than the health care system we have now,” Halpin said. “Many Illinoisans need reliable medications to live healthy, productive lives. If the insurance companies keep bogging down health care providers with pointless paperwork, those lives will be unfairly disrupted.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is calling for fairness for collegiate athletes by backing new legislation which will allow them to receive fair compensation for use of their names and images, and contract professional representation.

“Workers in any field and at any age deserve fair compensation for effort and dedication like what many collegiate athletes display,” Halpin said. “Universities have been reaping the benefits of that work for years. This legislation will put a stop to this inequality.”

Halpin is sponsoring House Bill 3904, the Student Athlete Endorsement Act, which allows student athletes at Illinois colleges and universities to receive a share of the revenue schools make from using the students’ names and images in print, on television and in other media. Additionally, college athletes would have the option to seek professional representation to ensure their rights are protected.

This legislation follows a recent court ruling which stated the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) could not prevent payments to student athletes without violating anti-trust laws.

“These young people are the most critical element making up a multibillion dollar college athletics industry, but they aren’t receiving their fair share of those profits,” Halpin said. “This measure will help bring us closer to a free and equal community for everyone.”

EAST MOLINE, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, received an award from the board of the East Moline School District 37 for his work passing a law, which allows critical diabetes medication to be administered in schools.

“As a parent, I’m very aware of how important it is that we do everything we can to keep our kids healthy,” Halpin said. “When Jennifer Jacobs had to risk serious legal consequences to save the life of one of her students last spring, it became clear that Illinois’ policies had failed our kids’ needs. My law will ensure that school nurses throughout our communities won’t have to take the kind of risks Jennifer did just to keep kids safe. I’m grateful to the East Moline School District’s recognition.”

The law is a 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.

East Moline School District 37’s school board is recognizing Halpin or his backing of 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 is now law.

EAST MOLINE, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, attended an event held by Renew Moline, an economic development initiative, as part of his commitment to building a stronger Illinois and middle class.

“My priority is to bring more jobs to Illinois and create new opportunities for small businesses to thrive,” Halpin said. “Hard-working local economic development groups like Renew Moline are a big part of making those goals a realty. Together, we can build a stronger Illinois for current and future generations.”

Halpin attended a celebration luncheon held by the local economic development initiative, Renew Moline to commemorate their 30th anniversary. The organization is working for a stronger economy for communities in Moline, and has already had significant success bringing job growth back to the area.

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EAST MOLINE, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, was at Rock Island Academy early on Friday to join in their fifth annual Million Man March and greet kids as they went to school.

“The Million Man March is a great opportunity to join in welcoming our kids to school and to help make sure they start their day off on a positive note,” Halpin said. “Our schools do an excellent job providing the children in their care with a thorough and constructive education. I’m grateful to Rock Island Academy and all the committed teachers and faculty members for the guidance they give to students. Their work is going to help us build a stronger Illinois for everybody.”

Last Friday, Halpin took part in Rock Island Academy’s Fifth Annual Million Man March, an event in which fathers go to school early to greet kids on their way to class. The goal of this event is to present kids with positive role models and a friendly face or high five to start their day.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is working to expand higher education opportunities and break down financial barriers to success with his support of a new law establishing the Illinois Higher Education Saving Program.

“Higher education can’t be an opportunity that’s only available to kids born into families with money. We need a comprehensive system for children from all backgrounds to afford college,” Halpin said. “As a parent, I want to build a stronger, fairer Illinois for the next generation. For that, everyone who wants more education should be able to have it. This law is going to help realize that future.”

Halpin passed House Bill 2237 to establish the Illinois Higher Education Saving Program. This program will facilitate saving for college for all children born after December 31, 2020 by opening an omnibus account to hold all contributions to higher education savings, all interest earned on those contributions and $50 in seed money for each participating child. All children born to parents who are residents of Illinois are eligible for the program. The bill was signed into law at the end of August.

“A better education has been linked to higher wages, improved health and lower crime rates. If we want to build a more robust economy, raise average life expectancy and crack down on crime, the first step is giving every kid the option to go to college,” Halpin said. “Not only that, good schools will draw more people to the state and give our local businesses more consumers to sell their products to. This law is a big step in the right direction for our community.”  

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is helping ensure pregnant women
receive critical mental and physical health care services during and after their pregnancies by passing a
new law that requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish a system for providing
specialized maternal health care to all women who need it.

“New mothers should never have to face mental or physical health problems without help,” Halpin
said. “But, our medical system is not doing nearly enough to provide them the care they need. Far too
many mothers, particularly low-income mothers, have to make it through serious post-partum
sicknesses without the support of a doctor because they can’t afford it.”

Halpin passed House Bill 5, which requires the DHS to establish a system for providing maternal care
to women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or who have recently given birth. The system will
help women who require medical aid get to the right health care facility designed to treat their specific
needs. This legislation was supported by both Democrats and Republicans and is now law.

In 2013, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that almost 30,000 new moms experienced
postpartum depression, in some cases for years after giving birth. Only 2 in 10 received medical
treatment for their problem.

“I’m committed to building a stronger Illinois where medical care is affordable for everyone, and no
one is left behind because they make too little money,” Halpin said. “Having a baby can take a
tremendous toll on a new mother, and we need to ensure that moms are getting the help they deserve.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Schools will be better prepared to prevent violence under a new law from state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, requiring schools to create and adopt their own threat assessment procedures.

“Ensuring the safety of our kids is my priority. Schools have to be prepared in case the worst happens and they’re confronted with violence,” Halpin. “The solution is careful, informed preparation; so, if there is danger, schools can keep people safe in time for law enforcement to respond.”

Halpin voted to pass House Bill 1561, which requires school districts to create threat assessment teams made up of teachers, school social workers, law enforcement members and other relevant officials. The teams will be tasked with putting together a comprehensive response plan in the case of on-campus violence. This legislation received strong backing from both sides of the aisle and is now law.

“Every kid deserves to grow up attending a school where they feel secure, and every parent deserves peace of mind regarding their kids’ safety,” Halpin said. “I want the people responsible for keeping my kids out of harm’s way to be absolutely ready for a serious problem. This legislation will help ensure that they are.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Local teachers will be paid fairly under a new law from state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, raising the starting teacher salary in order to address the statewide teacher shortage.

“Paying teachers fairly is the first step toward building a stronger education system for Illinois’ middle-class families,” Halpin said. “Whether they are teaching our kids the skills they need to work high-wage jobs or guiding them through a critical stage in their lives, teachers play an invaluable part. This new law is a step towards ensuring they get a fair salary for their good work.”

Halpin passed House Bill 2078, which sets minimum teacher salaries at $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year and gradually raises it by about $2,000 every year for four years. The last Illinois law guiding universal teacher pay was passed in 1980 and it set base salaries for teachers with a bachelor’s degree and 120 semester hours at just $10,000 a year. This legislation received strong bipartisan support and is now law.

Reports have found more than 1,400 unfilled teaching positions in Illinois, including many in the Quad-Cities. Halpin’s bill will help Illinois schools retain and recruit teachers to fill these positions. 

“Our community is dealing with a teacher shortage that is having very real and immediate consequences for our children,” Halpin said. “We need to do all we can to encourage more people to become teachers so kids are getting the high-quality education they deserve.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – An effort by state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, to control spikes in prescription drug costs and require pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to inform customers of less-expensive generic drug alternatives is now law.

“Powerful pharmaceutical companies are doing everything they can to jack-up costs and limit patients’ coverage, but every Illinoisan deserves affordable health care. We can’t let big pharma’s drive to pad their bottom line determine whether parents can afford their kid’s medication,” Halpin said. “I’m working to build a stronger Illinois by building a stronger middle class, and that includes making health care more affordable for working families.”

Halpin helped pass House Bill 465, which will curb skyrocketing prescription drug prices by creating comprehensive regulations for PBMs including requirements that they inform customers of cheaper prescription alternatives, comply with oversight from the Department of Insurance and pay fines of up to $50,000 for violating the Illinois Administrative Code in their bookkeeping procedures. The bill also protect the rights of patients in the emergency room by prohibiting any insurer from denying coverage until the patient is considered stable. Combined, these measures should help substantially lower the cost of health care in Illinois. The legislation received strong bipartisan support and is now law.

As the middlemen between drug manufacturers and pharmacies, PBMs set drug prices on behalf of insurance companies. Until now, they have operated with virtually no oversight even though they manage public money through Medicaid, as well as managing prescription programs for private insurance and self-insured plans.

“Nothing is more essential than good health care,” Halpin said. “When a person is dealing with chronic health problems at a huge cost, it takes more than a simple financial or physical toll-although those are bad enough. Untreated, or poorly-treated, medical issues affect entire families, sometimes for years. Backing this legislation is just one of many steps I am taking to ensure that the people in my communities have access to the doctors and medicine they need at a reasonable price.”