SPRINGFIELD- Gov. JB Pritzker joined legislators, doctors, patients, and stakeholders Friday in Springfield to celebrate the passage of HB5395, also known as the Healthcare Protection Act, in Illinois’ House of Representatives.

The bill, first proposed by Governor Pritzker in his FY25 Budget Address, aims to put power back into the hands of patients by banning step therapy, banning prior authorization for crisis mental health care, improving network adequacy, banning junk insurance plans, and ending unchecked rate increases for large group insurance companies.

The Governor was also joined by the bill’s chief sponsors, Representative Anna Moeller and Senator Robert Peters, alongside various cosponsors working to promote the sweeping health insurance reforms. Acting Director Ann Gillespie also attended on behalf of the Department of Insurance.

The Healthcare Protection Act targets three primary issues with the healthcare insurance industry: utilization management, network adequacy, and rate review.