Fine works to expand insurance coverage for neonatal intensive care

SPRINGFIELD – Continuing her work to increase affordable access to vital health care services, State Senator Laura Fine is sponsoring a measure addressing coverage for emergency neonatal intensive care.

“Every newborn deserves a fighting chance, especially in the critical first hours of life,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Parents want their children to be safe and healthy, and an unexpected birth complication can lead to permanent consequences if not promptly treated.”

To treat premature or critically ill newborns, neonatal care is often necessary and may require specialized treatments that might not be covered by a patient’s health insurance network. House Bill 2464 would address the importance of immediate care by requiring private insurers to cover emergency neonatal care, regardless of whether the provider is in or out of the patient’s network. This ensures families are not billed for greater out-of-pocket costs than they would have incurred with a participating provider.

Read more: Fine works to expand insurance coverage for neonatal intensive care

Sims to put an end to unwanted automatic sales calls

SPRINGFIELD – We’ve all been there: at work, hanging out with the family or trying to relax when you get a call from an unknown number trying to sell you a product. State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. is working to put an end to these automatic sales calls – in turn providing consumers with greater peace and protection.

“Our cellphones are meant to connect us with friends and family to conduct business but they’re slowly being turned into relentless advertising channels we didn’t sign up for,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “We’re going to put control back in the hands of consumers by protecting them from unwanted and intrusive automatic sales calls.”

Under House Bill 2435, companies could not use automatic dialing to sell Illinoisans goods and services unless the person expressly consented to be contacted in that manner. People across the country receive about 50 billion robocalls a year, with a less than 2% success rate – signaling a desire from residents to no longer receive the calls.

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Fine works to help public health agencies respond to overdoses

SPRINGFIELD – A career-long advocate for people struggling with substance use and mental health challenges, State Senator Laura Fine is leading a measure to strengthen reporting standards for opioid overdoses and protect patient confidentiality.

“Local health departments in the Chicago area benefit from gathering data on overdoses in their community,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “But opioid-related overdose can impact any community, and all public health departments need access to vital overdose data in order to ensure emergency services are able to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Currently, Illinois law only requires Chicago EMS providers to report overdose information using the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) tool. This free web-based tool provides the most up-to-date suspected overdose surveillance data to support public safety and health efforts.

Read more: Fine works to help public health agencies respond to overdoses

Halpin bill to protect consumers from predatory vehicle warranties passes committee

SPRINGFIELD – Third-party vehicle warranties are often opaque, contain exclusions, deductibles and difficult claim processes that may not be apparent to the average consumer. State Senator Mike Halpin is leading the effort to protect consumers from these predatory third-party vehicle warranties.

“This legislation will ensure folks know what they’re buying when they purchase one of these third-party warranties for their vehicle,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Too often these warranties use fine print, vague terminology and hidden fees to take money from people without providing meaningful coverage.”

Read more: Halpin bill to protect consumers from predatory vehicle warranties passes committee