SPRINGFIELD – Illinois residents with multiple sclerosis could receive easier access to medically necessary physical therapy without the fear of burdensome limits or calendar year maximums.

“People struggling with multiple sclerosis need access to physical therapy to delay or prevent future problems,” State Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) said.

Legislation Link is proposing this year, Senate Bill 193, would require all insurance companies to cover all physical therapy treatments for people with multiple sclerosis without treatment limitation or calendar year maximums.  It means that patients with MS would no longer be subject to waiting periods, cost sharing limits and other limits.

“It is unfathomable that those who struggle with multiple sclerosis are not being allowed to take action that could help them,” Link said. “Insurance companies’ restrictions allow potentially irreversible damage to be done to the patient.”

Currently, insurance companies can limit the number of physical therapy session covered even if more sessions are medically necessary.

SPRINGFIELD–Recently, State Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) pushed that gaming expansion should be a part of any potential budget agreement. The comments came during a Senate Gaming hearing on potential gaming expansion legislation.

Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Link, would authorize the building of six new casinos throughout the State of Illinois, including locations in Chicago and Lake County. The proposal will increase revenues for the state and local communities.

“I have always believed that one way to increase revenues in our state is to expand on gaming opportunities,” Link said. “This allows us to put more money into our schools and helps solve the state’s financial problems.”

The legislation also would allow current riverboats or casinos to expand from 1,200 machines per location to 1,600 machines.

“A lot of potential Illinois gaming revenue is leaving the state for Indiana and Wisconsin because there just isn’t the opportunity here at home. That is lost revenue that could help shore up our finances,” Link said.

SPRINGFIELD – Scratch-off lottery players may have lost out on millions of dollars in prizes because the state’s private lottery manager ended the games before all, or in some cases any, of the promised grand prizes were awarded, according to a recent Chicago Tribune investigation.

State Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) was outraged at the findings and called for the state to look into what is going on.

“We have to look at these numbers and be concerned,” Link said. “We also have to question the lack of transparency in this whole process ever since Northstar took over. I represent the state of Illinois and its residents who should be receiving the money they are promised if they win.”

The report showed that under the management of Northstar Lottery Group, the Illinois Lottery’s 17 biggest-prize instant games awarded less than 60 percent of their grand prizes. The Tribune reported that one of the games would have paid out $10 million more if it paid out at its rate of 78 percent, instead of 61 percent.

“The lottery is not called the Northstar Lottery. It is the Illinois Lottery, and it is responsible to those who play and the taxpayers to keep their promises,” Link said.

SPRINGFIELD—This week, Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) voted with his colleagues to override the governor’s veto and pass automatic voter registration.

Senate Bill 250 would automatically register a qualified voter who presents all the information necessary to register to a government agency. This would most commonly occur at the secretary of state’s office who would then forward the information to the State Board of Elections for verification.

“We need to be opening doors and making it easier for our citizens to participate in their democracy,” Link said. “This is about ensuring that those who should have a voice get their right to be heard at the ballot box.”

The legislation now moves to the House for an override vote.