07-05-2025
Illinois bill to include horse riding therapy in coverage passes House Insurance Committee
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinoisans insured by the state may soon be able to saddle up during their therapy.
The state insurance program may soon start covering horseback riding as part of therapy. A bill that passed in the House Insurance Committee would expand insurance coverage for hippotherapy when prescribed by a licensed occupational or speech therapist.
Hippotherapy, also known as therapeutic horseback riding, is done by a licensed therapist with assistance from a professional horse handler to support a person to have better physical movement and cognitive processing. It is often used for people with physical disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, arthritis and in some cases Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
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The bill didn't have any witness slips in opposition. Representative Tracy Katz Muhl (D-Northbrook), who is sponsoring the bill in the House, said everyone will benefit from the care.
'My younger sister, who is the director of Special Education for all of Boulder County, Colorado, got started as a volunteer for this program. It changed lives for both staff and participants,' she said.
The bill also expands coverage for other treatments, including post-mastectomy care. If the law passes, counties that are self-insured will also be required to cover these .
The bill passed the Insurance Committee with nine votes in favor and three opposed, and will now head to the House floor for debate. If passed and signed into law, the coverage would begin in 2027.
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