Senator Fine law makes specialty services more accessible for HMO patients

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine’s legislation to eliminate hurdles patients with HMO health insurance policies face when seeking treatment by medical specialists was signed into law on Tuesday.

“It can be frustrating for HMO policy holders to wait for referrals before seeking the care they need,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “With this new law, patients will no longer have to use valuable time and money and jump through unnecessary hoops.”

House Bill 1186 allows patients with HMO health insurance policies to make appointments and receive care with in-network specialists covered by their insurance, eliminating the requirement to get a referral from a general practitioner. This allows patients with HMO policies to get the care they need in a timely manner.

House Bill 1186 was signed into law on June 27, 2023. It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

Senator Fine initiative preventing excessive rate increases on health insurance signed by governor

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to protect consumers from rising health care costs, today Senator Fine's legislation, House Bill 2296, became law. The new law allows the state to review and approve or reject health insurance rate changes and make the process more transparent.

"Health insurers in Illinois have been able to increase their rates with few guard rails, making purchasing insurance inaccessible to many working Illinoisans and small businesses,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Under this law, the Department of Insurance will be able to reject unsubstantiated increases to make sure care is accessible and affordable for Illinois residents.”

House Bill 2296 protects consumers by giving the Illinois Department of Insurance the authority to approve, modify or deny excessive premium rate increases for individuals and small businesses. The legislation also provides transparency in the process by which insurance companies change their rates by requiring DOI to post proposed rates on their website with space for members of the public to comment.

In addition, DOI will also publish an annual report on coverage, affordability and cost transparency to examine the trends of health care rates, as well as information on financial assistance for consumers and small businesses who have been struggling to stay open with rising costs of insurance for their families and employees.

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Senator Fine initiative to expand eligibility on mental health student loan repayment program becomes law

SPRINGFIELD – With growing demands for mental health providers to support patients struggling with substance use, State Senator Laura Fine is encouraging people to become recovery support specialists through a new initiative expanding the behavioral health workforce student loan forgiveness program.

“If we want people struggling with alcohol and substance abuse to receive the help they need to recover, we need to invest in the people working to become recovery support specialists,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Thanks to this law, professionals will be able to get assistance for debts they took on while studying to become counselors, providing them financial relief and encouragement to enter this vital field.”  

The Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program was created to address the shortage of community-based behavioral workers in Illinois so that there are fewer disparities in access to critical mental health and substance use services. Starting in 2024, the program will also include alcohol and drug counselors along with mental health professionals like psychologists, licensed clinical social workers and psychiatrists.

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Fine establishes database for safety of children’s products

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is now required to create and maintain a database on the safety of children's products thanks to a new initiative led by State Senator Laura Fine.

“Without easily accessible, up-to-date information about product safety or recalls, tragedies can happen,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Establishing a standard, trustworthy database will ensure Illinois kids are safe while playing with toys, and give their caregivers peace of mind.”

Currently, families and caregivers do not have a clear resource to check to see if a product or toy is safe for their child to use or if there were any recalls of the product. DCFS is currently only required by state law to contact childcare facilities without internet access about relevant product recalls. Those facilities with internet access must research recalls through their own means. This new law requires DCFS to establish and maintain a public database on their website on the safety of consumer products regulated by the department.

Read more: Fine establishes database for safety of children’s products