The Illinois Reproductive Health Act protects access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion.

Specifically, the Reproductive Health Act:

  • Recognizes that each person has a fundamental right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including contraception, abortion, and maternity care. This includes birthing decisions like whether to have an induction, epidural anesthesia, or cesarean surgery.
  • Updates Illinois’ outdated law. The state should treat abortion, contraception and maternal care like all other health care, with regulations that reflect current medical standards.
  • Codifies current standards of medical practice on who can perform abortions.
  • Requires private health insurance plans in Illinois to cover abortion like they do other pregnancy related care.
  • Allows private insurance policies to charge a co-pay or other cost-sharing limitations for abortion to the same extent as for other pregnancy related care.
  • Repeals laws that are not in effect and not enforced because of court rulings, such as the “Partial-birth” Abortion Ban Act. The federal “Partial-birth” Abortion ban will remain in effect and cannot be changed by state law.
  • Specifies that the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act permits conscience-based refusals to provide, refer, or participate in abortion care. This includes health care providers and facilities as well as insurance companies.