The Illinois Senate has unanimously passed a bill that will require insurance companies in the state to cover all colonoscopies deemed medically necessary.
Currently, insurers in the state are only required to cover colonoscopies if they are part of a follow-up exam referred by a physician, according to a May 15 press release.
The state House of Representatives passed the bill with near-unanimous approval in April, with just one House member, who works in the insurance industry, voting "present."
The Senate made a slight amendment to the bill, changing the effective date from 2025 to 2026. As a result, the bill is going back to the House for an additional vote.
Illinois Sen. Willie Preston sponsored the legislation.