Illinois enacts new health care policy provision

Dependent status moved up to age 26

[August 22, 2008]  CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich congratulated the Senate on Wednesday for supporting his amendatory veto to increase access to health care for young adults in Illinois. Tuesday night, the Senate accepted the governor's improvements to House Bill 5285, which will expand health insurance options for up to 300,000 young people, making it the largest single-day expansion to health care in Illinois history.

"Last night, the Senate did the right thing. With the Senate's approval of my additions to HB 5285, the parents of the 300,000 young adults have one less thing to worry about," Blagojevich said. "Now, parents of those young adults will have an option to give their children access to adequate health care. The new law also invites thousands of additional healthy young adults into insurance pools, which can have a positive benefit for everyone."

Under the new law, parents will be able to keep their unmarried dependent children on their health insurance policies up to age 26, and up to age 30 if they are a veteran. Illinois will join 20 other states that have already enacted legislation expanding dependent coverage. Of those 20 states, 19 require coverage through age 24 or 25, and New Jersey requires coverage through age 30.

The governor must certify the amendatory veto before it becomes law. After this action, House Bill 5285 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2009.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]