SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – The Illinois General Assembly has passed legislation that supports patients’ access to prescription hormone therapy by requiring insurance policies to cover up to a six-month supply. HB 5492 is the initiative of Equality Illinois, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, and Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. Sponsored by Illinois House Assistant Majority Leader Katie Stuart and State Senator Lakesia Collins, the bill now advances to Gov. JB Pritzker for his approval this summer.
“As the federal administration and other states wage wars to block transgender and gender-expansive people’s access to affirming health care, Illinois remains a leader to protect them” said Adrienne White-Faines, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. “Thanks to this important legislation, Illinois patients now have longer uninterrupted access to care and increased peace of mind.”
HB 5492 requires insurance policies regulated by the State to cover up to a six-month supply of prescription hormone therapy when a health care provider or pharmacist decides such a supply is clinically appropriate for a patient (compared to a supply for a shorter time frame such as 30- or 90-days). HB 5492 does not address a physician or pharmacist’s scope of practice as doctors and pharmacists already have the authority to dispense a full supply of prescription medication, inclusive of all refills.
“Not everyone can easily access hormone therapy due to circumstances outside of their control. And yet they still need and deserve secure access to health care,” said Margot Riphagen-Dun, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action. “This legislation provides uninterrupted access to essential hormone therapy, which can have lifesaving impacts for patients. And expanding access to better serve patients is without a doubt the right move for Illinois.”
Many individuals rely on hormone therapy as a maintenance medication to treat health conditions, such as menopause, hypogonadism, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, formerly known as PCOS), gender dysphoria, and cancer-related hormone suppression. Some people safely take hormones daily for decades. Frequent visits to a pharmacy to fill a 30-day or 90-day supply of a prescription can be burdensome, especially for people who live in rural communities or lack stable access to transportation. “At a time when LGBTQ+ people, and especially transgender people, are facing relentless attacks on both our healthcare and our fundamental rights, passing this bill represents meaningful progress,” said Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Equality Illinois. “Expanding access to life-saving hormone therapy is about more than healthcare; it is about dignity, autonomy, and survival. Reducing unnecessary barriers helps ensure people can access the treatment they need without navigating hostile or overly burdensome healthcare systems.” The insurance mandate in HB 5492 will take effect Jan. 1, 2028.
Press release from Equality Illinois and Planned Parenthood, Great Rivers Action, and Planned Parenthood, Illinois Action