SPRINGFIELD – Birth centers across Illinois would have a path to permanent licensure, increasing access to quality, affordable health care for pregnant women, under a measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) that passed the Senate Saturday.

“Pregnant women should not be limited in their choice of birthing style due to an inadequate number of freestanding birth center licenses in Illinois,” Senator Fine said. “Improving accessibility to birth centers will help bridge health care disparities across the state.”

SPRINGFIELD – Insurance coverage for infertility treatments would expand beyond women in heterosexual relationships under legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Women of all ages, medical histories, partner statuses and sexual orientations should receive coverage for infertility treatment,” Senator Fine said. “This expansion would open the door for more Illinoisans to become mothers.”

SPRINGFIELD – Epilepsy specialists would be reimbursed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for providing telehealth treatment services under a measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Telehealth has become beneficial for many individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this measure will help ensure Illinoisans can seek treatment in the way that’s most comfortable for them,” Senator Fine said.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans filing claims for disability benefits would not be required to pay for mandatory copies of medical records under legislation from State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Individuals applying for benefits should not have to jump through hoops and pay unnecessary fees for records required to file benefits claims,” Senator Fine said. “Benefit programs should help people struggling financially, not add to their financial burden.”

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to improve health care access and affordability for pregnant women, State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) introduced a measure to establish a permanent licensure pathway for freestanding birth centers, which passed committee Tuesday.

“As health care disparities continue to widen in our state, it’s important that we increase access to quality, affordable health care,” Senator Fine said. “A pathway to permanent licensure for freestanding birth centers will create more opportunities for the women who rely on their services.”

Senator Fine’s legislation would create the Birth Center Licensing Act, lifting the current cap on the number of freestanding birth center licenses so more women, especially those experiencing health care disparities, have access to the birthing style they prefer. Freestanding birth centers would still be regulated under the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act, and licenses would have to be renewed every year.

SPRINGFIELD – Individuals could more easily change the sex designation on their birth certificate and receive fee waivers for copies of corrected birth certificates under an initiative proposed by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which passed committee Wednesday.

“Unnecessary barriers to changing sex on a birth certificate can push marginalized communities further into the margins,” Senator Fine said. “An individual who identifies as female, male or gender nonconforming should be able to have their gender reflected on their birth certificate as easily as they do on their driver’s license.”

SPRINGFIELD – The Department of Healthcare and Family Services would be required to reimburse epilepsy specialists for providing telehealth treatment services under State Senator Laura Fine’s (D-Glenview) legislation, which passed committee Tuesday.

“Epilepsy affects hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, and it’s important they have the option to seek treatment from the comfort of their home in the midst of a global pandemic,” Senator Fine said. “Epilepsy specialists need to be reimbursed for providing critical telehealth services to their patients.”

There are more than 65 million people around the world who have epilepsy, according to the Epilepsy Foundation, and many have sought treatment via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Fine’s legislation would ensure epilepsy specialists in Illinois receive the reimbursement they deserve for providing telehealth treatment to individuals with epilepsy or related disorders.

SPRINGFIELD – Patients seeking copies of their medical records to file claims for benefits would no longer have to pay for copies under legislation from State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which was introduced in the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Tuesday after passing the House with unanimous bipartisan support.

“Illinoisans seeking benefits should not have to spend their hard-earned money on copies of medical records required to file claims,” Senator Fine said. “These benefit programs are in place to help our most vulnerable populations, and it’s imperative that we make the application process as easy as possible.”

Current law only allows homeless indigent veterans to receive medical records from health care facilities and practitioners at no cost to support claims for veterans’ disability benefits. Senator Fine’s measure would expand eligibility to allow anyone to receive free medical records to support a claim for veterans’ disability, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, or Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled benefits.