NEWS

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s push to allow mammograms under all health insurance policies regardless of the person’s age has been signed into law by the governor.

“A cancer diagnosis is frightening enough without having to fight your insurance company first,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “When early detection can mean the difference between a treatable diagnosis and a life-threatening one, coverage should follow medical evidence, not arbitrary age limits. This law ensures that patients can get the care their providers know they need.”

Guzmán’s law will expand mammogram coverage to align with evidence-based clinical guidelines and the recommendations of a health care provider, including when medically appropriate for individuals under 35. Under the law, mammograms will be covered for patients of any age when deemed necessary by a healthcare provider.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, except for skin cancers, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women, and early detection dramatically improves treatment options and survival. By ensuring medically necessary mammograms are covered regardless of age, Illinois is helping patients access care when it matters most.

In 2012, what should have been one of the happiest seasons of Maureen Anderson’s life became one of its hardest. Instead of planning her future, she was navigating surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and ultimately a hysterectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The diagnosis changed not only her health, but the future she had imagined for herself and her family.

“No one should have to spend precious time fighting an insurance company when they should be focused on their health,” said Guzmán. “This law removes one more barrier to early detection and gives more Illinoisans the opportunity to catch breast cancer before it’s too late.”

House Bill 5001 was signed into law on Friday.

Illinois has resources for those seeking mammograms and other exams through the Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer Program. This program offers free mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams and Pap tests to those eligible.

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SPRINGFIELD – Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to monitor private equity in our health care system has been signed into law.

“Health care exists to care for people, not maximize returns for investors,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Where private equity firms see profit, we see patients, workers, and entire communities. When hospitals are treated like financial assets instead of public institutions, families pay the price through closed facilities, fewer services, and diminished access to care. This law brings greater transparency and accountability to decisions that can reshape the health and well-being of communities across Illinois.”

The law requires private equity-backed health care mergers and acquisitions to be reported to the Illinois Attorney General before they move forward, giving the state greater visibility into transactions that can affect patient access, competition, costs, and the long-term stability of hospitals and other health care providers. This legislation establishes greater transparency around private equity transactions in health care, laying the foundation for stronger oversight as Illinois continues examining the impact of corporate consolidation on patients, workers and communities.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to decouple Illinois adult education funding from federal rules was signed into law Wednesday.

“Adult education changes lives. It helps parents earn a diploma, workers gain new skills, immigrants learn English, and people build a better future for themselves and their families,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Illinois should not have to put those opportunities at risk every time the federal government changes course. This law ensures that our communities, not political chaos in Washington, determine how we invest in adult learners.”

Adult education programs help Illinois residents earn high school equivalency credentials, learn English, build digital literacy, prepare for college and workforce training, and develop the skills needed for family-sustaining careers.

This legislation comes as the Trump administration has sought to exert greater control over education policy while threatening federal education funding. Without action, changes to federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requirements could have disrupted access to adult education programs that thousands of Illinois residents rely on every year.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s legislation to preserve contraceptive services or supplies for minors was signed into law Friday.

“Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own body, their own health, and their own future,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “No young person should lose access to contraception because politicians decided they know better than patients and their health care providers. Illinois is protecting the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions and ensuring that access to contraception remains available for those who need it.”

The law ensures that minors can consent to contraceptive care without requiring permission from another person, protecting access to timely reproductive health care. According to KFF, several states require parental consent to obtain contraceptive care and many states do not guarantee the rights of minors to consent to contraceptive services.