SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois lawmakers passed a bill that would prevent insurance companies from putting time limits on anesthesia coverage to protect patients from financial burden.

This comes after the fall of 2024, when Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield tried do just that in New York, Missouri and Connecticut by tying payments to the length of time a patient was under anesthesia. In other words, they would stop covering the patient after an arbitrary length of time, and the rest of the anesthesia would be billed to the patient directly.

Now, that bill has passed both the House and the Senate with bipartisan support and is heading to Governor JB Pritzker’s desk. This would cover anesthesia regardless of how long the procedure takes.

The bill’s sponsor in the House, Rep. William Hauter (R-Morton), who is a physician and anesthesiologist himself, said this will make sure it cannot be tried in Illinois.

“So, this is outrageous, it’s just another tactic that we see insurance companies using to reduce coverage or to deny payments to people,” Hauter said. “That’s not how things work. Just another way to put profits over patients and so we put a stop to it.”

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reversed their policy on the issue after public outcry, saying it was misinformation.

Sen. Doris Turner (D-Decatur) who carried the bill in the Senate, said people have been taken advantage of for far too long.

“Instead of lining their own pockets, let’s put patients’ health first,” Turner said. “Under this plan, people can rest assured that a time limit can’t be put on anesthesia services, requiring patients to pay the cost.”

If the governor signs the bill into law, it will take effect next year for all insurances.