SPRINGFIELD – To help Illinois residents access treatment for conditions like cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome and other endocrine disorders, State Senator Lakesia Collins led a new law requiring health insurance plans to cover up to a six-month supply of prescription hormone therapy.
“Far too many are facing unnecessary burdens as they try to maintain their health plan and stay on schedule with their medications,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “This law will ensure patients are prescribed enough medication to ensure continued access without the worry or frequent trips to the pharmacy.”
Collins’ law, House Bill 5492, will require health insurance plans to cover up to a six-month supply of prescription hormone therapy and any necessary supplies for self-administration when prescribed by a health care provider and dispensed at one time. By allowing patients to receive a longer supply of medication at once, the law will reduce interruptions in treatment and make it easier for individuals to maintain consistent care.
For many patients, obtaining frequent prescription refills can create challenges that result in gaps in treatment. Expanding coverage for a longer supply of medication will help reduce those barriers and provide greater stability for individuals who rely on hormone therapy as part of their ongoing medical care.
“By expanding access to a longer supply, patients can maintain their treatment schedules and their health,” said Collins. “This law simply makes it easier to maintain and ensure an individual’s medication does not require frequent trips to obtain and access care that should be ready and available to them.”
House Bill 5492 was signed into law on Sunday and is effective Jan. 1, 2027.
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