SPRINGFIELD – To ensure someone’s past doesn’t prevent them from pursuing a brighter future, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) has sponsored a measure to prohibit life insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing rates because an individual has undergone treatment for substance abuse.

“Getting help for a substance abuse disorder takes a lot of grit and determination—recovery should be celebrated,” Johnson said. “If you’ve put in the hard work to get clean, your insurance company shouldn’t hold that against you.”

Johnson’s plan would prohibit a life insurance company from denying or limiting coverage or charging higher rates based solely on whether an individual has participated in a substance use treatment or recovery support program more than five years prior to application.

Insurance companies would also be prohibited from discriminating based on whether the applicant has previously been prescribed an opioid antagonist such as Narcan or Naloxone.

“Making the tough decision to undergo treatment for an addiction shows a real commitment to one’s health and well-being,” Johnson said. “These individuals deserve to put their past behind them and move forward.”

The legislation would not prohibit life insurance companies from making coverage decisions based on physical and mental conditions caused by substance abuse.

House Bill 33 passed the Senate Insurance Committee Wednesday and now heads to the Senate floor.