SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Karina Villa that would increase access to alternative options for opioid prescription medication passed the Senate on Thursday.

“With the potential risk of developing a serious addiction from prescription opioids, our health care system should provide alternative options for pain management if that is what a patient is looking for,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “The thousands of individuals across our state who depend on pain management treatment should have access to alternatives that do not put them at risk of developing a substance use disorder.”

Senate Bill 1238 would require health insurance providers to develop a plan for providing adequate coverage and access to non-opioid, non-narcotic and non-medication pain management services, which serve as an alternative to opioid and narcotic prescription drugs.

Additionally, the measure would allow the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop and publish an educational pamphlet regarding the use of non-opioid alternatives for pain management.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 83% of the overdose deaths in 2022 involved an opioid, which resulted in 3,261 fatalities.

“As our communities are still recovering from the peak of the opioid epidemic, more needs to be done to reduce dependency and the misuse of opioids to save lives,” said Villa. “With this measure, individuals will still be able to receive the care they need without being at risk of developing a substance use disorder.”

Senate Bill 1238 passed the Senate on Thursday.