Health Care

SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-13th)’s proposal to allow more businesses to form health care purchasing groups has passed the Senate. Because groups of businesses can negotiate lower rates than individual businesses, the legislation will result in lower costs for employers and a greater incentive to insure employees.

“Purchasing groups have a history of providing superior care at competitive prices in Illinois and other states,” Sen. Raoul said. “I want to expand this option at a time when we desperately need to make our state more business-friendly while also making it a great place to work.”

SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16^th) has introduced legislation that will allow Illinoisans to continue to play the Quality of Life scratch-off lottery game after the end of 2012. The “Red Ribbon Cash” game has raised over $2.4 million for prevention education and treatment. If Senate Bill 2971 becomes law, it will continue to fund the fight against HIV/AIDS for five additional years.

“Four years after the legislature voted to fund organizations on the front lines of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, the number of new infections has decreased nationwide, but this devastating disease is still ravaging vulnerable communities, particularly minority women,” Sen. Collins said. “The proceeds from the Quality of Life scratch-off game are helping non-profits save and prolong lives in the populations with the highest risk and we should allow these groups to continue their vital work.”

In Illinois, 53.4 percent of new AIDS diagnoses in 2009 were among African-American residents, although only 14.5 percent of Illinois’ total population is black. More than four times as many African-American women are living with HIV in Illinois as white women, and three out of four women in Illinois diagnosed with HIV in 2009 were black.

Legislation sponsored by Illinois State Senator William Delgado (D–Chicago) that will require licensed physicians within Illinois to have their information available online, as well as any disciplinarian information, has been signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn.

The Patients' Right to Know Act will help to ensure that of the roughly 44,000 physicians and surgeons licensed to practice in Illinois, consumers are choosing the right one for their needs," stated Senator Delgado, Chairman of the Senate Public Health Committee. "The database created under this Act will enabled anyone to search by a doctor’s partial first or last name, city, specialty, keyword, or hospital affiliation, the specialty certifications, legal and disciplinary actions for the past five years, and details from physician resumes."

House Bill 105 creates the Patients’ Right to Know Act, which requires the Department of Professional Regulation to publish profiles of licensed physicians including information that will assist health care consumers in making informed choices about their primary and specialty health care providers. This measure will repeal current law concerning physician profiles.

This measure was originally a provision in the omnibus medical malpractice reform law which was struck down by the Supreme Court. In their opinion, they ruled that all of the provisions of the comprehensive reform law were void, even though they did not specifically object to the physician profile requirement.

"Several states operate the same type of profiling systems that include medical malpractice and disciplinary information including California, Florida, Idaho, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington," stated Delgado.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois State Senator Gary Forby (D-Benton) was pleased with the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s (COGFA) vote yesterday afternoon to allow the state to enter into 90-day, short-term contracts with the a number of insurers, including Health Alliance, Humana, Personal Care and HealthLink.

COGFA’s decision comes on the heels of a Sangamon County trial judge’s ruling that prohibited the state from going forward with new, self-insured Open Access Plan (OAP) contracts with Personal Care and HealthLink. The ruling left the 434,000 people insured by the state with just three, limited options.

Senator William Delgado (D–Chicago) said today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced up to $99 million in competitive funding grants under the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program to assist service providers throughout Illinois.

This competitive grant funding will be awarded to eligible states to support effective implementation of home visiting programs. Successful applicants will receive grants to expand services, as well as promote innovation and infrastructure development within their comprehensive, early childhood state systems.

"Home visitation programs that can apply for these grants include those in which nurses, social workers, or other professionals meet with at-risk families in their homes," Delgado said. "They will then provide them with services related to child abuse prevention, parenting skills, health care, developmental services for children, early education, and nutrition education or assistance."

"This funding opportunity in the Affordable Care Act will support states in their efforts to expand and improve home visiting support services for our most vulnerable children and families," said Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"We encourage states to continue exploring ways to enhance their Home Visiting activities funded by the Affordable Care Act, and these grants will provide states with successful, evidence-based Home Visiting programs with additional resources to improve these much needed services," HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.

HHS’s Administration for Children and Families collaborates with Health Resource Service Administration to implement the MIECHV program and leads the Tribal Home Visiting Program. "This additional funding helps provide valuable information related to parenting, early child development and school readiness," said David A. Hansell, acting assistant secretary for children and families.

For more information about eligibility, guidance and application submission for the MIECHV, visit www.grants.gov.

To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, visit www.HealthCare.gov.

Springfield, IL – This week, State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago) passed legislation that will create the Roseland Community Medical District.

Jones’ legislation, House Bill 1888, creates the Roseland Community Medical District Commission to coordinate efforts to develop and implement a master plan for the new district.

Illinois State Senator Gary Forby spearheads the effort to keep funds for health care facilities in Southern Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois State Senator Gary Forby (D–Benton) today led an effort in the Senate to pass legislation that would increase funding for struggling health care facilities in the Southern Illinois area and addresses inequalities in trauma funding throughout the state.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois State Senator Gary Forby (D–Benton) this week was recognized by the Health Care Council of Illinois (HCCI) as a "champion of senior care." Forby was presented with the award in recognition of his continued commitment to fighting for seniors in Southern Illinois.

CHICAGO, IL – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) passed several measures out of the Senate this week focusing on better health practices, safety and well-being.

To address the problem of concussions suffered by high school, college and professional athletes, Senate Bill 150 requires student athletes and their parents or guardians to sign their school district’s concussion and head injury policy before participating in practice or interscholastic competition. By creating the Protecting Our Student Athletes Act, the measure also requires each school district to use Illinois High School Association education materials to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents and guardians of student athletes about the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including continuing play after a concussion or head injury.