Access to end-of-life options could be expanded under Castro-supported measure

SPRINGFIELD — Terminally ill adults could soon have increased access to more compassionate end-of-life options under a bill that had State Senator Cristina Castro’s backing.

“How we live and die should always be our choice,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This measure grants that choice to ensure quality of life for those who have known pain for some time now.”

Senate Bill 1950 would allow a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request a physician to prescribe aid-in-dying medication, allowing the patient to end their own life in a peaceful manner if they choose.

The bill includes multiple safeguards that would ensure a patient is eligible, informed about all of their end-of-life care options and protected from potential coercion or surrogate decision-making by anyone other than the patient.

Patients would be assessed by physicians and mental health professionals to ensure their capacity to make an informed decision. Only the patient would be able to request this aid – not a surrogate, proxy or via an advance health directive. Under Senate Bill 1950, no physician, health care provider or pharmacist would be required to participate in the law.

Senate Bill 1950 passed the Senate and heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

Proyecto de ley respaldado por Castro para reformar la cobertura del seguro de salud mental

SPRINGFIELD — La senadora estatal Cristina Castro reforzó su apoyo a una medida para garantizar la igualdad en materia de salud mental, asegurando un trato equitativo, una facturación justa y una cobertura adecuada de las condiciones de salud mental y consumo de sustancias en los planes de seguro.

"La falta de cobertura de salud mental dentro de la red en los planes de seguro desalienta a las personas que necesitan servicios a buscar la ayuda que necesitan," dijo Castro (D-Elgin). "Dar este paso brinda tranquilidad a los residentes, quienes pueden confiar en los planes de seguro por los que han estado pagando y aprovechar al máximo su cobertura."

El proyecto de ley 1085 de la Cámara de Representantes estatal crearía una fórmula para calcular las tasas de reembolso por servicios de salud mental y tratamiento por consumo de sustancias. El proyecto de ley encargaría al Departamento de Seguros de Illinois utilizar la fórmula para calcular las tasas y publicarlas en un boletín para que las aseguradoras las usen.

La actualización de las tarifas de reembolso garantizaría que más proveedores de salud mental se unieran a las redes, lo que aseguraría que las personas pudieran acceder a la atención descrita en sus prestaciones de manera oportuna sin tener que salir de la red.

"Contar con una más amplia variedad de proveedores dentro de la red permite a los pacientes elegir el mejor proveedor para sus necesidades, sin tener que conformarse con menos," afirmó Castro. "La atención de calidad para los pacientes y una remuneración significativa para los proveedores son la máxima prioridad de esta legislación."

El proyecto de ley 1085 de la Cámara de Representantes estatal fue aprobado por el Senado la semana pasada.

Castro backs legislation aiming to prevent closure of foster agencies over insurance

 SPRINGFIELD — Community-based foster care agencies could soon have protection from increased costs and lack of liability insurance options, thanks to State Senator Cristina Castro’s support for House Bill 762.

“Insurance coverage has been a lasting issue for foster agencies to overcome,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Without legislative action, foster care and adoption services could have been forced to close down.”

Foster care agencies are required to carry liability insurance to protect the thousands of children in their care. Many carriers are no longer offering this line of insurance, and only two carriers offer liability insurance for foster care providers in Illinois. This has resulted in higher costs and limited coverage.

To address this issue, Castro signed on to House Bill 762, which would require the Department of Insurance to conduct an inquiry into liability insurance practices for foster care services. By April 1, 2026, the department must provide stakeholders, the General Assembly and the governor’s office with a finalized survey of their data.

This survey allows the department to analyze information from insurance carriers inside and outside of the state to obtain information about issues contributing to the problem, including factors like rising settlements and a changing insurance market.

“This data will help paint a better picture of the landscape so the state can formulate strategies to prevent foster care providers from being priced out of the market,” said Castro. “Children in the foster care system shouldn’t shoulder this burden.”

House Bill 762 passed the Senate on Thursday, Oct. 30.

Castro-sponsored bill bolsters vaccine transparency

 SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Cristina Castro backed legislation designed to put clear, expert vaccine guidance at the center of the state’s public health response.

“The education and effort put into ensuring our doctors and clinicians make evidence-based decisions should be second to none,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “In the absence of federal leadership, this measure equips our medical professionals and families with the best information available.”

House Bill 767 comes at a time when the federal administration has gone dark on vaccine transparency. The goal is to shine a spotlight on this issue so Illinois continues to follow the science, no matter what happens at the federal level.

The legislation would strengthen advisory duties for the Department of Public Health’s medical director and require the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee to advise the director on diseases for which a vaccine is licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This aims to give the state advisory committee more authority to advise the director on vaccine guidelines that protect Illinois public health in the absence of federal action.

As consumer protections and insurance coverage at the federal level are rolled back, the Castro-backed legislation would require health insurance plans to cover vaccines that are recommended within the State Guidelines for Communicable Disease Prevention. Under this bill, coverage would take effect within 15 days after becoming law, removing a financial barrier to timely access for families.

“At the end of the day, health care de-regulation of any sort will be a price that children and families have to pay and we will stand against that,” Castro said.

House Bill 767 passed the Senate Thursday, Oct. 30.