Employers may see lower workers’ compensation premiums under a measure backed by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) which passed the Senate today.

“Despite a successful workers’ compensation reform package being implemented in 2011, insurance companies have immorally been pocketing savings rather than passing them on to employers,” Murphy said. “Today I pushed back on the status quo and supported a measure that would incentivize insurers to reduce premiums for business owners.”

Senate Bill 2863 requires insurance companies to pre-file rates with the Department of Insurance. If an insurance company would like to change that rate, it must provide justification. The legislation also clarifies that for an injury to be covered by workers’ compensation there must be a fundamental connection between the injury and the employment.

“We have a lot of work to do to reinvigorate the economic climate of Illinois,” Murphy said. “I hope that the governor will support this measure to help businesses across the state.”

Additionally, Senate Bill 2863 implements electronic billing for claims and creates a penalty for an extended delay in authorizing medical treatment.

Senate Bill 2863, which is identical to House Bill 2525, passed the Senate today and now advances to the House.

Today State Senator Laura Murphy pushed back against the Rauner administration by advancing a Medicaid managed care transparency measure he previously vetoed.

“The governor made a mistake when he rejected this proposal and attempted to put a multibillion dollar industry before taxpayers and Medicaid recipients,” Murphy (D-Des Plaines) said. “I couldn’t stand for that. I will continue to fight for transparency in Medicaid managed care programs.”

Senate Bill 2447 requires the auditor general to conduct a performance audit of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ Medicaid managed care program by Jan. 1, 2019.

The audit would probe whether DHFS has developed and applied standardized quality performance measures to Medicaid Managed Care Entities. It would also examine if the department has implemented measures to automatically assign Medicaid patients into managed care entities.

Performance audits can only be conducted at the request of the General Assembly or the Audit Commission, Murphy noted.

“The governor thought that this type of audit could be conducted as part of an existing investigation, but that’s not how it works,” she said. “I want to ensure the Medicaid managed care program operated by the Rauner administration is effectively using taxpayer dollars. This is one of the state’s largest contracts. It deserves a closer look.”

This transparency measure was formerly Senate Bill 321, which Murphy proposed last year. The governor vetoed it Sept. 22, 2017.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the Equal Rights Amendment:

“I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation and support equal rights for women. It is astonishing that in 2018 women are not expressly guaranteed equal rights at the federal level. Ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution would ensure men and women have equal protection under the law. ”

Illinois Lottery winners could choose to remain anonymous under a privacy protection measure filed by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines).

“Fortune and fame don’t always go hand in hand. We know of instances around the country of lottery winners being attacked, killed or financially exploited because their identities were publicized,” Murphy said.

“If winners want to be identified, that’s one thing. But the government should not require people to expose themselves to great personal risk simply because they were lucky enough to hit the jackpot one day.”

Under Murphy’s proposal, winners of more than $250,000 can submit a written request that their identity be kept confidential. Similar legislation to Senate Bill 211 has been filed in Georgia.