February 11, 2009
 

Recent polls have shown that voters understand the need for health care reform in the context of economic recovery and view it as a priority for President Obama and Congress to undertake. However, state elected officials also have an important role in efforts to provide relief to individuals and families that struggle with health care costs in Illinois.

Newly installed Governor Pat Quinn will undertake one of the most challenging fiscal crises in Illinois state history. While Governor Quinn and state legislators try to address the estimated $9 billion deficit, it is our role as health care providers and advocates to remind legislative leaders that additional efforts and resources are needed to help Illinois residents get access to affordable, accessible, guaranteed health care and that these investments can lead to a healthier economy and population here in Illinois.

Please join IMCHC as we engage in statewide efforts to ensure that health care reform remains a top priority for state and federal legislators. You can help with efforts by renewing your membership with IMCHC or by becoming a member for the first time through our website.

Legislative Updates

Federal - CHIP Reauthorized!

Thanks to emails and phone calls from IMCHC members and others concerned about children's health, a strong Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) bill passed the House and Senate in January, and was signed by President Obama on February 3rd.
According to the President and several House and Senate leaders present at the bill signing, CHIP reauthorization legislation is the first step towards the goal of affordable, accessible health care for all.
The reauthorized program will expand coverage to an additional 4 million children, allowing a total of 11 million children nationwide to be covered under CHIP. This bill also lifts a ban that prevented legal immigrant children and pregnant women with less than five years of US residency to obtain coverage under Medicaid and CHIP.
School health centers also achieved a major victory by being formally defined and recognized as an eligible billing entity through this bill, which opens the door for additional reimbursement opportunities from the federal government.
Here in Illinois, the new CHIP legislation is anticipated to draw down millions of additional federal dollars for many children who are currently covered by state-only funds in the All Kids program.

IMCHC is planning a forum to discuss the impacts of CHIP and the pending economic recovery package on Illinois residents. IMCHC members and action alert subscribers will receive notice when details have been finalized. To become a member, visit IMCHC's website.  



Federal - Economic Recovery Package

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is Congress' most recent attempt to jumpstart the ailing economy. A brief summary of the House bill that passed in January includes: 

Health Information Technology: $20 billion to jumpstart efforts to computerize health records to cut costs and reduce medical errors.

Prevention and Wellness Fund: $3 billion to fight preventable chronic diseases, the leading cause of deaths in the U.S., and infectious diseases. Preventing disease rather than treating illnesses is the most effective way to reduce healthcare costs. This includes hospital infection prevention, Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grants for state and local public health departments, immunization programs, and evidence-based disease prevention.

Healthcare Effectiveness Research: $1.1 billion for Healthcare Research and Quality programs to compare the effectiveness of different medical treatments funded by Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP. Finding out what works best and educating patients and doctors will improve treatment and save taxpayers money.

Community Health Centers: $1.5 billion, including $500 million to increase the number of uninsured Americans who receive quality healthcare and $1 billion to renovate clinics and make health information technology improvements. More than 400 applications submitted earlier this year for new or expanded CHC sites remain unfunded.

Training Primary Care Providers: $600 million to address shortages and prepare our country for universal health care by training primary health care providers including doctors, dentists, and nurses as well as helping pay medical school expenses for students who agree to practice in underserved communities through the National Health Service Corps.

The House bill also includes over $80 billion for increased federal Medicaid match funds to states, a program that will provide 65% COBRA subsidies and a new Medicaid eligibility category that will allow newly unemployed workers to qualify for coverage.

The Senate passed their version of this legislation on February 10th that creates fewer jobs and provides less COBRA support (only a 50% subsidy) and NO Medicaid coverage for the lowest income jobless individuals. 

As leaders from both chambers conference to settle differences between the two bills, action is needed NOW to make sure that final legislation includes maximum Medicaid funding to states and more job opportunities.

Make a toll-free call to your Senators and Congressman at 1-866-544-7573.

State - FamilyCare Restored

In 2008, legal challenges to the FamilyCare health insurance program for working parents led to a dramatic reduction in the eligibility levels from 400% to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). This left tens of thousands of parents, grandparents and other relative caregivers without an affordable option for health care coverage.

As a result of advocacy efforts from IMCHC members and other statewide partners, SB1415, which restores FamilyCare to 185% FPL, passed the Illinois Senate in the last days of the 95th General Assembly session on January 13th. Funding was already appropriated and approved in the FY09 budget.

The bill still needs to be sent to and signed by the Governor before it can take effect.


 
Upcoming Candidate Forum on Health Care

IMCHC is one of several co-sponsors for an upcoming forum on health care for candidates running for the open 5th Congressional District seat recently vacated by Rahm Emanuel who is now serving as President Obama's chief-of-staff.

This will be an opportunity to hear from candidates about their views on health care reform and how they plan to be a leader on this issue in Congress.

The forum will take place on Monday, February 16th at the Second Unitarian Church on 656 W. Barry in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Doors open at 6:30pm with the forum taking place from 7pm-9pm. To date, confirmed candidates include:
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Democrat 
State Rep. John A. Fritchey, Democrat
Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley, Democrat
Charles J. Wheelan, Democrat
Paul J. Bryar, Democrat
Tom Geoghegan, Democrat
Jon Stewart, Republican
Mark Arnold Fredrickson, Green
Alan Augustson, Green              
                                                                                 
Please RSVP to 1-877-926-8300.

RSVP Now for Opening Doors for Student Health Fundraiser

Join the Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers for Opening Doors for Student Health, a fundraiser and social event on Thursday, February 26th at Small Bar, 2049 W. Division in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Funds raised at the event will support this year's Youth Advocacy Day and continue to build youth leadership within school health centers.

The cost of the fundraiser is $35 per person and includes appetizers and drinks. Visit our evite page for more information and to RSVP.

Contact Megan Erskine, ICSHC Project Coordinator, at 312-491-8161x32 for more information.




Upcoming IMCHC Chicago-Area Chapter Meeting

Join us for IMCHC's Chicago-Area Chapter Meeting which will take place on Wednesday, February 25th at Metropolitan Family Services, 1 N. Dearborn, 10th Floor in Chicago from 1pm-3pm. 

IMCHC staff will provide project updates, as well as more detailed information regarding reauthoraization of the Children's Health Insurance Program, the federal economic recovery package and state-level health care reform efforts. 

Our guest speaker will be from Voices for Illinois Children, who will talk about potential plans for state tax reform to fix the unfair burden placed on low- and middle-income families, as well the creation of more stable revenue streams to better support education, health care and and human services. 

RSVP by emailing Lilah Handler or by calling 312-491-8161x21.



"Sound the Alarm" Materials and Registration Now Available

Now is the time for people of faith to call for a more just and equitable health care system!  Faith organizations, institutions and leaders from all denominations are invited to participate in Sound the Alarm events. Past activities have included:

• Sound an instrument 18 times for the 1.8 million uninsured people in Illinois,
• Pray for the uninsured and others suffering from the health care crisis,
• Hold discussion groups about the issue, and/or
• Write to legislators in support of reform.

Visit the Campaign for Better Health Care's website to learn more about these events taking place from March 13th - 15th and to download FREE customizable materials for your house of worship.
Contact Laura Leon at 312-913-9449 for additional information if you are in the Chicagoland area; contact Josephine Kalipeni at 217-352-5600 for all other areas.



Job Opportunity- Health Care Organizer

IMCHC is hiring an organizer who will be in charge of creating and maintaining local business, faith and community leaders to help champion state and federal-level health care reform efforts in the 9th and 10th Congressional Districts. These areas include the North Side of Chicago, suburbs in Northern Cook County and the Northeast region of Lake County.

A full job description is available at IMCHC's website. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled.

Newsletter Archive

Visit our newsletter archive to read about recently listed articles from past issues. Past topics include:

• Legislative Updates
• Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers' 2009 Key Campaign
• Upcoming ICSHC Meetings

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Healthy Smile Check Off Fund on IL Income Tax Form

As we all prepare to tackle our 2008 Income Tax Returns, please keep oral health in mind. Last year, the IFLOSS Coalition was able to obtain a tax check-off account on the Illinois State Income Tax Return. The money donated to this fund will help support children's oral health care. 

Many kids do not receive any care other than care received in some schools.  To assure the continuation of the tax check off, it must have a minimum balance of $100,000. 

Recent surveys have found that more than half of Illinois' third graders have tooth decay and one out of every 20 suffers from toothaches. Good oral health is essential to a child's behavior, speech, language and overall growth and development. Your contribution will help ensure every Illinoisan has a healthy smile.                                   

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease affecting children in our state. Please support the Healthy Smiles Fund (Line J, IL-1040 Schedule G). 



Save the Date - March of Dimes Perinatal Nursing Conference - Feb 25-27, 2009

The March of Dimes is hosting their 34th Annual Perinatal Nursing Conference “The State of Healthcare for Mothers & Babies in 2009” from February 25th through the 27th at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Brook, IL.  For more information or to register, visit the March of Dimes’ conference website.


 
Save the Date- Preconception/Interconception Satellite Training on June 16th

The satellite training "Taking Charge of Your Reproductive Health" will address the need to educate males about their role in reproductive and family health.  This training will also provide techniques on how to enhance interaction with males before/after they have families.
The training will take place on June 16th from 10am-12:30pm and is sponsored by the IDHS Bureau of Maternal and Infant Health and targets frontline staff in Illinois clinical settings and programs.

Registration will be available at the Community Health Training Center website closer to the training date.



Encourage Families to Avoid Refund Anticipation Loans

Refund anticipation loans (RALs) and other instant refund products costs Illinoisans millions each year. These unnecessary loans charge exorbitant fees to provide refunds a mere 7-14 days early.

RALs and other instant refund products have annual interest rates (APR) that can range from around 50% to 500%. Difficult economic times can make RALs tempting to families struggling with household expenses. However, by filing electronically and having the refund directly deposited into a bank account, individuals can often receive their refunds within 8 - 15 days.

Families and individuals can save money by avoiding RALs and other instant products and still get their refund in a few days by using resources from the Center for Economic Progress or from the Free File Alliance.

San Francisco Challenges Law that Allows Women to be Charged More for Health Insurance

San Francisco is challenging a practice that allows California insurance companies to charge women more money for health insurance policies purchased on the individual market. This practice of "gender rating" is currently illegal in 10 states and restricted in two others; Illinois does not currently offer protections against gender rating.

The National Women's Law Center released a study in September 2008 that found that women in California under the age of 55 years paid up to 39% more than men for health coverage, even after maternity care rates were excluded.

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Women's Daily Health Policy Report - January 5, 2009




Studies Find Maternity Leave Improves Health of Both Infants and Women 

Researchers from the University of California-Berkley have found that maternity leave both before and after birth can lead to better health outcomes for both mother and infant.

One study compared nearly 450 women who worked full-time up to the time of delivery to women who began maternity after the seven month of pregnancy. Researchers found that women who did not take leave before giving birth were four times as likely to have a cesarean section, which can result in a longer recovery period for the woman.

A second study looked at 770 women who took leave after giving birth and found that women who took less than six weeks of leave were four times less likely to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is a highly recommended practice and has been linked to a reduced risk of allergies, obesity and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in babies.

Researched noted that many women do not take leave because they do not receive full-time pay while on leave. 

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report - January 9, 2009
 


Baltimore Launches Expedited Partner Therapy Pilot 

In order to combat a rise in Baltimore's sexually transmitted infection (STI) rate, the city recently announced the pilot of Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT), which will allow persons seeking STI treatment to be prescribed additional antibiotics for their partner. Public health officials view EPT as a way to stem the spread of STIs and curb partner reinfection.

Baltimore health officials assessed data over a three month period from two city clinics participating in EPT and found a 41% drop in reinfection rates among patients with gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Currently, 15 states have adopted EPT with several others, including Illinois, considering legislation to allow for EPT.

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report - January 12, 2009



CDC Report Shows Increase in Chlamydia and Syphilis Cases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report that showed a 7.5% increase inchlamydia and 15% increase in syphilis infections from 2006 to 2007; gonorrhea cases remained flat.

STIs continue to disproportionately affect black men and women, who make up 12% of the US population, but account for 70% of all gonorrhea cases and nearly half of chlamydia and syphilis cases.

Women experience particularly damaging long-term effects when they contract and do not treat gonorrhea or chlamydia, which can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease or infertility. The CDC found that these infections are the highest in young black women between 15 and 19 years.

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report - January 14, 2009



North Carolina Task Force Recommends Injection for Prematurity Prevention

North Carolina's Child Fatality Task Force recently recommended to state legislators that nearly $100,000 be allocated for the provision of progesterone injections to low-income, uninsured pregnant women, in order to help prevent premature births.

The injection, better known as 17P, has been shown to reduce the risk of early birth by one-third among women who have experienced premature deliveries without any explanation. Medicaid and most private insurers already pay for the treatment for some women at risk of a premature delivery.

The task force recommended this as a cost-saving measure, since the average cost of coverage for a woman and premature baby can be $20,000 just for the first year.

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report - January 14, 2009



Increases in C-Sections and Complications During Birth May be Linked

A study of data from 37 states found that increased numbers of cesarean sections led to an increase in kidney failure, respiratory distress syndrome and ventilation and played a minor role in the increase in cases of shock, pulmonary embolisms and transfusions.

The researchers said that although the average age of women giving birth has increased, this did not have a significant effect on the rate of complications.

A co-author of the study stressed that it is important that women and their families are aware of all risks associated with c-sections in order to make informed decisions.

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report - January 21, 2009



Less Than a Tenth of Unemployed Take Up COBRA Coverage

A recent report from The Commonwealth Fund finds that only 9% of unemployed workers continue their employer-based insurance through COBRA, as a result of many being unable to afford the full cost of their premiums. On average, COBRA costs $13,000/year for family coverage, compared with the average employee contribution of $3,200/year for the same coverage.

COBRA allows for those recently unemployed to remain on their employer-sponsored health plan for up to 18 months, if they pay the full cost of coverage and a 2% administrative fee.
The same report found that 38% of low-wage workers are not eligible for COBRA because they are uninsured, do not receive employer-sponsored health insurance or work for small businesses that are not required to offer COBRA.

The economic recovery package approved by the House in late-January included provisions to allow for a 65% COBRA premium subsidy for 12 months for recently laid-off workers. It would also allow for laid-off people 55 years or older and those with at least 10 years of tenure at their jobs to continue COBRA until they find new employment or reach age 65. The Senate is still debating this legislation.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report - January 26, 2009

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IMCHC Chicago Area Chapter Meeting
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
1pm-3pm
Metropolitan Family Services
1 N. Dearborn, 10th Floor in Chicago
RSVP to Lilah Handler

Opening Doors for Student Health - School Health Center Fundraiser
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Doors open at 5:30pm
Small Bar
2049 W. Division in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood
Tickets are $35 and includes appetizers and drinks
RSVP through our Evite

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IMCHC’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Maggiano’s Little Italy
516 N. Clark Street in Chicago
Contact Lilah Hander for more information

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