SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois insurance companies could soon be required to properly document whether they have enough doctors and specialists to diagnose and treat patients.
The Illinois Senate passed a proposal Thursday night to make insurers provide documentation to the Department of Insurance showing whether or not their in-network hospitals have a sufficient number of specialists.
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Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) said this is critical for people in rural areas who are frequently impacted by network adequacy issues compared to urban healthcare networks.
Patients can call their insurance company with any questions and ask to go through an internal appeals process.
"It's not like the doctors are making out. The patients are certainly being harmed by this," Holmes said. "The only person winning is the insurance company. I really want to make sure that what's important here is the patient care."
However, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Manufacturers' Association oppose the legislation.
Senate Bill 2641 passed out of the Senate on a 53-4 vote. The bill now heads to the House for further consideration.Â
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