Bill Streamlines Access to Medication, Improves Consumer Health
SPRINGFIELD, IL - HB3638, designed to streamline the medication coverage approval process by insurance companies and improve transparency on the Exchange, was signed into law by Governor Quinn earlier this week and becomes effective immediately. The bill aims to improve the state's Health Exchange by requiring insurers to provide consumers with additional information about insurance coverage and medication costs in each plan.
It also guarantees that a prior authorization request for medications must be approved or denied by an insurance company within 72 hours, improving a bottleneck that has resulted in massive and dangerous delays for patients to get the medications prescribed by their doctors.
"Access to medication and transparency around this process is critical for many - it affects their ability to go to work, care for their families and live their day-to-day lives," said Rep. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, the chief sponsor of the legislation in the House. "The signing of this legislation is a huge win for patients across Illinois, eliminating what sometimes can be weeks of delay waiting for crucial medications."
The legislation was supported by dozens of health advocacy organizations in Illinois, including the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, American Nurses Association Illinois, Arthritis Foundation, Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, Epilepsy Foundation of North-Central Illinois, Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois, Illinois African American Coalition for Prevention, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago and several mental health advocacy organizations such as Mental Health America and Mental Health Summit.
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