Fact checked by Shannon Sparks
Increasing Mental Health Providers
Effective January 2027
Illinois has a shortage of mental healthcare providers, with more than half of the state’s population (51%) living in designated mental health professional shortage areas. House Bill 1085 seeks to increase access to care by improving insurance reimbursement rates for mental health providers, creating a pathway for providers to earn licensure under the supervision of licensed providers, and removing barriers that prevent providers from becoming in-network with insurance companies.
Lessening Medical Debt
Effective January 2027
At an estimated $220 billion, medical debt accounts for about 58% of all debt in collections in the United States. House Bill 4461 prevents hospitals and collection agencies in Illinois from placing liens on patients’ homes or other real estate. This is one of many steps Illinois has taken to address the burden of medical debt. Between state and countywide efforts, Illinois has erased around $2 billion in medical debt in recent years.
Advocating for People With Disabilities
Effective July 1, 2027
Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 0862 in June, elevating the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission to a Cabinet-level department by creating the Illinois Department of Disability Advocacy and Guardianship. The department consists of three divisions: the Division of State Guardian, which serves as guardian of last resort for about 5,000 adults with disabilities in Illinois; the Division of Legal Advocacy, which provides legal counsel to thousands of people every year; and the Division of Disability Rights and Protections, which investigates disability rights violations affecting thousands of Illinois residents with disabilities.
Originally published in the Fall 2026/Winter 2027 print issue.
Ros Lederman, a freelance writer and fact checker, has been writing since she could put a pen to paper, back when that was what “writing” meant. She pursued all forms of writing through graduate school, finding her home writing about all things medical and healthcare. She also branched out into the world of digital accessibility, driven by passion and personal experience living with disabilities.
