Holmes advances insurance coverage for menopause relief therapies

• Menopause
• Health Insurance Coverage
• HB5295

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes is leading an effort in the Senate to establish insurance coverage for treating menopause symptoms without regard to whether the onset was natural or surgical. Holmes’ measure, House Bill 5295, passed the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday.

Menopause happens when an individual’s estrogen and progesterone hormone levels begin to fall. If it begins naturally, symptoms arise over time; if it is a result of surgery, those effects start very quickly after the procedure.

“In either event or at whatever age, hormonal changes can bring on complications that affect our overall health and well-being. As estrogen drops, bone density can decrease and cardiovascular risks can rise,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Menopause therapies are prescribed regardless of the onset reason and must be covered either way.”

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Holmes seeks mental health care coverage for those who have suffered miscarriage or stillbirth

• Mental Health Care
• Pregnancy Loss
• HB5282

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes advanced a measure through the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday that would require insurers to cover treatment for the mental and emotional effects for individuals who have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth.

“For most expectant parents, pregnancy means happy preparations to welcome a healthy infant to their new family,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “The shock and grief of an unexpected pregnancy loss can be overwhelming — it may trigger anxiety, stress and depression, and contribute to substance abuse.”

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Holmes encourages greater awareness, understanding of Multiple Sclerosis

• Multiple Sclerosis
• MS Awareness Week

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes wants all Illinoisans to learn more about Multiple Sclerosis and how it affects the lives of more than 20,000 individuals in the state, including their family, friends and loved ones. Worldwide, MS is thought to affect more than 2.3 million people.

March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. As one of those 20,000 people in Illinois with MS, Holmes spoke of her experience on the Senate floor last week while presenting a Senate Resolution marking March 10-16 as MS Awareness Week in Illinois.

“There are a range of symptoms that vary in type and severity and, in time, may diminish or disappear, or persist and worsen,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “MS is a continuous disease process that is influenced and driven by underlying mechanisms of central nervous system damage.”

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Holmes: Governor’s budget priorities reflect needs of people in 42nd District communities

• FY2024 Budget

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes released the following statement in response to Governor JB Pritzker’s budget proposal Wednesday:

“In recent years, we’ve built a more secure fiscal position for Illinois. The governor’s proposed budget builds on those previous accomplishments to ensure this stability continues, with attention to current economic realities.

“Right now, food insecurity is a growing problem for many Illinois families. My Farm to Food Bank Program is building a supply chain where farmers can give surplus food to food banks across the state for hungry families. Advancing from a plan to putting meals on tables will require funds, and the governor indicated his commitment to provide more fresh foods – meat, dairy, produce – than food banks sometimes have.

“With the governor’s proposal shared for consideration, now it is our turn, and lawmakers will consider our obligations and priorities alongside the needs of Illinois families for the coming year and beyond.”