5 Things to Know About Reproductive Healthcare and Access in Illinois

En español

In Illinois, you have the right to make your own decisions about your reproductive health care free from government interference including whether to use birth control and what kind, get abortion care, or to give birth. Here are five other things to know:

1. You have the right to make your own informed decisions about your health care throughout pregnancy, birth, and after you have given birth.

• There are many decisions you make throughout pregnancy, birth, and after giving birth like choosing the type of provider, you want like having a midwife or physician or choosing how and where you would like to give birth like in a birthing center or hospital.

1. It is your decision whether to use birth control and choose the method that is best for you. If you decide to use birth control, most insurance companies must cover birth control prescriptions for up to 12 months at one time.

• If you have a self-insured plan, the 12-month coverage of birth control prescriptions at one time does not apply. Check with your employer to see what type of plan you have.

1. Illinois Medicaid and most Illinois based private insurance plans are required to cover abortion procedures.

• Even if you have a pending application for Illinois Medicaid, your abortion care can be covered! Check your local family planning clinic, abortion clinic, or medical provider to see if they take Medicaid and if some fees still apply. If you have an Illinois based private insurance plan, use this chart to see if abortion care is covered.

1. You have the right to keep your abortion confidential regardless of how old you are.

• Effective June 2022, Illinois repealed a prior law called the Parental Notice of Abortion Act. If you are under 18, a clinic is not required by law to contact a parent or legal guardian if you are seeking abortion care services. Who you tell about your abortion is entirely up to you.

1. Your job cannot fire you or refuse to provide reasonable accommodations or adjustments if you are pregnant, recovering from giving birth, or have a medical condition from pregnancy or giving birth.

• This could include time off for doctor appointments, receiving extra bathroom breaks, a chair to sit on, help with manual labor or lifting items, or having a private space to pump breastmilk.