Illinois said it was fixing therapy access. It just blew up your insurance bill

Published September 14, 2026 9:00am ET



Illinois has identified a real problem in behavioral healthcare: some people with commercial insurance struggle to find in-network care, while some providers say low reimbursement discourages them from joining insurance networks. Those problems deserve attention. But recognizing a problem does not mean policymakers know the right solution.

Illinois has chosen to mandate one.

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