SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — An Illinois Senator is working to ensure that speech therapy, as a treatment for stuttering, is covered by health insurance.
State Senator Willie Preston (D-Chicago) recently held a subject matter hearing in the Senate Executive Committee to discuss the need for this issue.
“This bill makes a powerful statement about Illinois’ commitment to accessible and affordable health care,” Preston said in a press release. “We are working to remove financial and administrative barriers to those seeking speech therapy services.”
Bill to protect Mahomet Aquifer from carbon capture sequestration stalls in Senate committee
In the proposed Senate Bill 3972, health insurers would be required to cover “habilitative and rehabilitative speech therapy” to treat stuttering. According to Preston, speech therapy is considered a covered habilitative service for people under 19, but in reality, insurance coverage contains exclusions and limitations based on individual policy.
Preston said that according to the National Stuttering Association, some plans even exclude stuttering treatment. Senate Bill 3972 would make this therapy more affordable and accessible for public and private insurance plans.