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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.--Illinois this week became the second state in the nation to enact legislation mandating that health insurers cover comprehensive breast exams for women.
The measure, H.B. 147, passed the Illinois Senate by a unanimous vote on Tuesday after also passing the state House of Representatives on April 27, according to a spokeswoman for Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, one of the bill's sponsors.
The bill now goes to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has 60 days to either sign or veto it. If he does nothing, the bill will become law in that time period. However, the governor is expected to sign it, the spokeswoman said.
Oregon passed similar legislation in 2005.
Neither mandates, however, apply to self-insured employer-sponsored health plans, which are governed by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act and are exempt from state benefit mandates.