Gov. Pritzker Releases Statement on Passage of Healthcare Protection Act

Springfield— Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement in response to passage of bills comprising the Healthcare Protection Act:

"Today’s passage of the Healthcare Protection Act bill package by my partners in the Illinois General Assembly is a historic win for patients across this state. When I first proposed this legislation in my FY25 Budget Address, I said we would put power back into the hands of patients and their doctors and reform predatory insurance companies and their unfair practices. That’s exactly what we did.

This legislation will protect patients through an array of targeted reforms: banning step therapy, banning prior authorization for crisis mental healthcare, banning junk insurance plans, and ending unchecked rate increases for large group insurance companies.

I’m grateful to our teams at the Department of Insurance and Department of Healthcare and Family Services, as well as our cosponsors in the General Assembly for getting these sweeping insurance reforms across the finish line with bipartisan support. I also want to thank this package’s chief bill sponsors, Representative Anna Moeller and Senator Robert Peters, for championing this legislation and for your outstanding contributions to the longtime fight for health insurance reform.

Today, we celebrate a win for Illinois families and healthcare providers everywhere. We’re saving lives and making the path to care easier for all."

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