July 14, 2008
 

Last week the General Assembly reconvened in Springfield to address the revenue gap in the FY09 budget. The House convened the Committee of the Whole and heard from numerous agencies and advocates about the need to fund important social services, health and education initiatives in the FY09 budget.

Unfortunately, the Governor was forced to veto $1.4 billion in programs and services in order to balance the FY09 budget. One of the vetoed items included $2 million for school health center expansions.

This is the second year in a row that school health center expansions have been vetoed from the budget. The 50+ communities that have expressed interest in starting a school health center will be unable to do so without this crucial funding.

We should not risk the health and well-being of our children and adolescents in order to balance the state budget. Visit IMCHC’s e-advocacy center to take action by sending a letter to the editor and/or contacting your legislator.

IMCHC Staff Updates

Angela Ellison, Project Director for Closing the Gap recently left IMCHC to be the full-time Associate Director of Community Engagement with the UIC Neighborhoods Initiative. She will continue to stay involved as a committee co-chair for our newest project, Campaign to Save Our Babies. We thank Angela for all of her time and energy she dedicated to making communities healthier for our most vulnerable populations.

Former IMCHC board member, Rebecca Holbrook has been hired as the Project Director for Campaign to Save Our Babies. She will be leading the efforts to reduce racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality by 50% in ten years and eliminating them completely by 2033. Rebecca brings a wealth of experience in community health and leadership to this initiative. Contact her at 312-491-8161x29 or by email.

We also welcome summer intern, Caitlin Paul, who will be working with health care organizer Eric Quamme, to bring together residents of the 9th and 10th Congressional Districts to mobilize around health care reform. Caitlin is a recent graduate of Kalamazoo College and hopes to pursue a career in public health.

Welcome Rebecca and Caitlin!

Archived Topics

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

• IMCHC's testimony to the Chicago City Council

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School Health Initiatives Midwest Regional Conference – July 23rd and 24th

Registration is now open for the School Health Initiatives Conference “Health Care + Education = Healthy Communities: Why Schools Fit the Equation” which takes place July 23-24 in Indianapolis, IN. Blair Harvey, ICSHC Project Director will present on Illinois’ school health center coalition.

Register on the Covering Kids and Families Indiana website or email Sondra Gardetto or call her at 574-472-4308x216 with questions.

Signed War Supplemental Bill Delays Implementation of Six Harmful Medicaid Rules

President Bush signed into law a supplemental war appropriations bill (HR 2642) that delays six new Medicaid regulations proposed by his administration. The six regulations could take effect as early as April 2009 and includes:

•    Restrictions on services covered by some states' case management plans
•    Limiting Medicaid reimbursement to public hospitals
•    Barring of federal reimbursement for transportation to school and school-based care for Medicaid-eligible children
•    Restrictions on the types of "rehabilitative" services covered by federal funding
•    Reduction of federal Medicaid reimbursement for students at teaching hospitals
•    Limiting the taxes some states charge health providers

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – July 1, 2008




New Public Radio Series Examines Health Care Systems in Five Countries

National Public Radio (NPR) has aired a series of reports, “Health Care for All” that looks at the health care systems in England, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The reports show that these countries have significantly lower costs than the U.S. system, while providing better care.

“France’s Model Health Care for New Mothers” features two new mothers who compare the maternity care system in France with the challenges they faced as pregnant women and new mothers to their experiences in the United States.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – July 10, 2008




Opinion Piece Says U.S. Medical Associations Fail To Support Women's Choice in Home Births

The LA Times published a letter from Jennifer Block, author/journalist and keynote speaker from IMCHC’s annual meeting, who criticized the American Medical Association for their failure to support women’s choice in home births. Such statements run counter to a joint statement from the United Kingdom’s Royal College of OB/GYNs and the Royal College of Midwives, which supports home births for low-risk women saying that “it may confer considerable benefits for them and their families.”

Nearly a third of women now give birth through cesarean section and the majority of women are induced into labor. The US has some of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates among industrialized nations.

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report - July 10, 2008




Senate, House Reach Agreement on Policy Framework for Mental Health Parity Legislation

Both chambers of Congress have reached an agreement on legislation that would require equal coverage of mental illnesses that are given to physical illnesses. This would include medical and surgical benefits, including treatments such as hospital stays, physician visits and cost sharing such as copayments, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

Insurers could control costs using managed care tools, such as requiring members to see a doctor or therapist in their network or having doctors routinely show that continuing therapy sessions or other treatments are necessary.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – July 11, 2008




House Panel Votes To Extend Health Coverage for College Students Who Take Medical Leave

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee approved to extend a bill (HR 2851, S 400) to allow college students who are forced to leave school for a serious illness to continue to receive health care benefits under their parents' health insurance policies. The law would require certification from a physician and allow for coverage for up to one year. The panel also adopted an amendment, proposed by Subcommittee Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), for the law to take effect one year after it is enacted.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – July 11, 2008




British Medical Association Recommends Starting Sex Education in Primary Schools

Over half of British Medical Association members voted in favor of providing sex education in primary schools in the United Kingdom, as an attempt to reduce pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates among teens.

Conference delegate Emily Finnigan said, "It is obviously inappropriate to talk to six-year-olds about contraception… However, we should be encouraging them to grow up into individuals who respect themselves and others." She added, "Sex education needs to be comprehensive, covering everything from relationships to contraception and STIs."

Source: National Partnership for Women and Families Daily Women's Health Policy Report – July 11, 2008

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South Central Illinois Perinatal Advisory Committee
July 18th from 9am-noon*
Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana
RSVP to Lilah Handler
*IMCHC's Central Illinois Chapter meeting will take place from 11am – 12pm

Southern Illinois IMCHC Chapter Meeting
July 23rd from 12:15pm – 2:15pm
Municipal West Building
200 Potomac in Mt. Vernon
RSVP to Lilah Handler so we can have an accurate count for lunch.
We plan to screen a segment of Unnatural Causes, the PBS documentary that illustrates the connections between race, wealth and health.

CAIC Summer General Meeting
July 23rd at St. Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center
Nazareth Family Auditorium, 1127 N. Oakley in Chicago
1:30pm-3:30pm
RSVP to Melissa Ponce, CAIC Project Associate

Immunization Toolkit Training Sessions
Chicago Area Immunization Campaign/Chicago Department of Public Health
July 25th at IMCHC’s office
9am-3pm (lunch will be provided)
1256 W. Chicago Avenue
RSVP to Melissa Ponce, CAIC Project Associate

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IMCHC's 20th Anniversary Benefit Gala

If you are interested in sponsorship or host committee opportunities,
please contact Lilah Handler.

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