Stuart's HRT bill signed into law

Health insurance policies amended, delivered, issued or renewed in Illinois on or after Jan. 1, 2028, will be required to cover up to a six-month supply of prescribed hormone therapy under a bill Gov. JB Pritzker signed June 28.

House Bill 5492 was sponsored in the House by state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, and in the Senate by state Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago. Stuart filed the bill in February. The House passed it in April. The Senate passed an amended version May 30, and the House concurred June 1.

Stuart's office said the legislation is intended to help patients manage menopause symptoms by requiring insurers to cover up to a six-month supply of hormone replacement therapy medication and any required supplies.

In a June 20 column for The Intelligencer, Stuart wrote that women tend to use hormone replacement therapy for long periods because the body will not return to producing estrogen and progesterone naturally, making the treatment still necessary. She wrote that doctors can prescribe longer-term treatment, but insurance companies have not been covering the cost of longer-term prescriptions.

"Menopause occurs when hormones are no longer naturally produced and hormone replacement therapy is the best way to resolve menopausal symptoms," Stuart said in a June 29 news release. "Women may naturally experience menopause, but it can also be induced by certain cancer and other treatments. No matter the cause, women with intense symptoms deserve the relief HRT can provide."

According to Stuart's office, symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can include itchy ears, severe mood swings and sleep loss. The office said those symptoms occur because of declining hormone levels, making hormone replacement therapy a leading treatment for severe perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

Supporters say the change will allow patients to schedule prescription refill appointments less frequently and receive medication for longer periods. In her column, Stuart wrote that longer prescriptions could mean fewer pharmacy stops, easier access for rural patients and medication coverage through long vacations or work trips.

The bill was one of three measures Pritzker signed Sunday as part of a package his office said was intended to protect LGBTQ+ Illinoisans and expand health care access. Stuart's office framed HB 5492 around menopause treatment access.

"Women of a certain age often experience 'Invisible Woman Syndrome,' feeling less seen and valued as we age," Stuart said. "I'm so proud of this bill and all the menopause-focused legislation we passed this spring, reminding older women that we are seen, heard, valued and will not be ignored. The house best kept by women is the House of Representatives."