Bill > SB0040

This bill expands health insurance coverage for children with speech-language disorders, specifically including stuttering, by requiring insurance providers to cover both habilitative and rehabilitative services for individuals under 19 years old. Habilitative services are defined as therapies that help children develop skills for the first time, such as speech therapy for those with congenital, genetic, or early acquired disorders. Rehabilitative services, newly added by this bill, are specifically defined as speech therapy that helps children restore or improve skills they have previously lost or had impaired. The bill amends three key pieces of legislation: the Illinois Insurance Code, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code, to ensure that medical assistance programs and health insurance plans provide comprehensive coverage for these services. The changes will take effect in stages, with most provisions becoming active on July 1, 2025, and amendments to insurance-related sections taking effect on January 1, 2027, subject to federal approval. This legislation aims to support children with speech-language disorders by ensuring they have access to necessary therapeutic services that can help them develop or regain important communication skills.

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https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=40&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104