IL House passes plan requiring insurance coverage for seizure detection devices, sends bill back to Senate

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House passed a plan Friday night to require private insurance companies to cover seizure detection devices.

There are currently multiple devices approved by the FDA to alert people of oncoming or ongoing seizures.

Sponsors said these tools can cost anywhere between $250 to $2,000.

The Danny Did Foundation has stepped in to fill the gap in access to seizure detection devices. However, foundation president Tom Stanton said charity should not replace insurance coverage.

"FDA-cleared devices are not convenience items," Stanton said. "Even insurance companies have recognized that in referring patients to our nonprofit for support. These doctor-prescribed devices are essential tools for a chronic disease that impacts 140,000 people in Illinois."

This bill requires insurance companies to provide coverage for medically-necessary devices with a maximum cost-sharing amount of $50 per year.

"We also in this bill are including something that Leader Camille Lilly has been working on for quite some time dealing with preeclampsia coverage," said Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highland Park). "It's not just for preeclampsia, but also for the genetic marker for that condition."

Senate Bill 2762 passed out of the House on an 82-25 vote. The measure now heads back to the Senate due to amended language.