SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure to require health insurance companies to provide coverage for speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering.

“In Illinois, we are committed to providing topnotch health care for all individuals,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “This legislation grants those from all financial backgrounds with an equal opportunity to receive speech therapy services. It also gives them confidence, relief, encouragement, and support.”

Senate Bill 40 would expand coverage for speech therapy to include rehabilitative services in addition to habilitative services for any child under 19 years of age with an early-acquired disorder that is diagnosed as a speech-language disorder, including stuttering.

Additionally, the legislation would ensure the coverage would not be subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including the number of visits to a speech-language pathologist, and would not be permitted to be limited based on the type of disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in stuttering.

Preston himself developed a stutter when he was 12 years old and fought through that challenge on his own. He believes this legislation would assist folks who went through a similar experience to him and remove the cost barrier for those seeking treatment.

“For children who stutter in particular, they have more opportunities to build critical communication skills and improve educational and professional outcomes,” said Preston. “We want to ensure that regardless of a child’s economic situation that they have an opportunity to overcome the speech issue that they are faced with.”

Senate Bill 40 passed the Senate and heads to the House for further consideration.