December 4, 2008
 

As many of us take time to reflect during this holiday season, the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition would like to give thanks to everyone who has supported our fight for health equity for all women, infants, young people and families in Illinois.

Your contributions have helped IMCHC strengthen our capacity to bridge the gap between policymakers and those affected by their decisions, as well as provided us with resources to educate and empower people to make healthy choices. Thank you for everything you have done.

We have much work ahead of us in 2009. Join us as we march forward into the new year by volunteering to serve on an IMCHC board committee (finance, governance, policy and programs, marketing, fundraising), becoming a 2009 member or contributing to our 20th anniversary $20 campaign. 

Legislative Updates

Congratulations to Illinois’ new Senate President John Cullerton (D-6) and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-41) who were recently elected to these leadership positions. IMCHC looks forward to working with the new leaders in the 2009 legislative session.

Several bills were passed by the General Assembly during the 2008 Fall Veto Session, including:
•    SB2860 – Amends the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act to require better labeling of toys and children’s products that contain more than 40 parts per million of lead.
•    SB934 – House Amendment 2 requires that insurance companies provide up to $36,000/year in coverage for treatments related to autism spectrum disorders for children younger than 21 years of age, as well as additional consumer protections.

The Illinois House 2009 calendar for the 96th General Assembly session was recently posted online. As of the date of this newsletter, the Illinois Senate had not yet posted their calendar.

IMCHC 2009 Chapter Meeting Schedule

Dates and locations are now available for IMCHC’s quarterly chapter meetings that take place in Chicago, Central Illinois (Springfield or Urbana) and Southern Illinois in Mt. Vernon. Visit IMCHC’s website to view a complete list or jump to the end of this email for upcoming dates in Chicago, Springfield and Mt. Vernon.



December 7th Christmas Bazaar to Benefit Campaign to Save Our Babies

Rebecca Holbrook, Project Director for IMCHC’s project Campaign to Save Our Babies, is hosting a Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, December 7th from 1pm-6pm at her home, 516 E. 32nd Street.

This year’s bazaar will benefit Campaign to Save Our Babies and will offer handmade hats, jewelry, ornaments and more. Please join us for food, drinks and fun! Homemade candy including toffee will also be available for purchase; to reserve your candy order or for more information, contact Rebecca at 312-567-0729 or 312-491-8161.



Recent HFS Notice Informs about New Medicaid Managed Care Plan

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services recently posted an informational notice online with updates on the health plan that most HFS or All Kids medical cardholders are required to choose for their Primary Care Provider/medical home.

Clients in the voluntary managed care counties may opt out of the Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) program and enroll with a Managed Care Organization (MCO) for their medical home. The following lists medical home health plan choices by county:

Cook County: Family Health Network (MCO), Harmony Health Plan (MCO), Illinois Health Connect (PCCM)
Jackson, Madison, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington and Williamson Counties: Harmony Health Plan (MCO), Illinois Health Connect (PCCM)
Adams, Brown, Henry, Mercer, Pike, Rock Island and Scott Counties: Meridian Health Plan (MCO), Illinois Health Connect (PCCM)
All other counties: Illinois Health Connect (PCCM)

Questions should be directed as follows:
In Adams, Brown, Cook, Henry, Jackson, Madison, Mercer, Perry, Pike, Randolph, Rock Island, Scott, St. Clair, Washington and Williamson County:
•    Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Provider Helpline: 1-877-912-8880
•    Illinois Client Enrollment Broker Web site: www.illinoisceb.com

In all other Counties:
•    Illinois Health Connect Provider Helpline: 1-877-912-1999
•    Illinois Health Connect Web site: www.illinoishealthconnect.com

Upcoming Congressional District Committee Health Care Meetings

IMCHC's regional organizer, Eric Quamme, has scheduled several Congressional District Committee meetings to talk with local residents about how they can get involved with moving forward health care reform at the state and federal levels.  Meeting details include:

Monday, December 8th, 7pm-8:30pm
Temple Beth Israel, 3601 Dempster Street in Skokie

Tuesday, December 9th, 7pm-8:30pm
Many People's Church, 1507 W. Morse in Chicago (two doors down from The Common Cup)

Tuesday, December 16th, 7pm-8:30pm
First Congregational United Church of Christ
320 Grand Avenue in Waukegan

Wednesday, December 17th, 7pm-8:30pm
Des Plaines Public Library
1501 Ellinwood Avenue, Room C in Des Plaines

Light refreshments will be served at all meetings. Email Eric Quamme or call him at 312-491-8161x25 to RSVP or for more information. 

Stay Healthy, Get Vaccinated! Upcoming Flu Clinics in Chicago

The Chicago Area Immunization Campaign, the City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Public Health are coordinating a number of faith-based flu clinics through the city.

Upcoming dates and locations include:

Sunday, Dec. 14, 9 - 3 PM @ St. Pius V Church, 1910 S. Ashland Ave.

Persons with a Medicare card should present the card. For information about other clinic locations, please call 311. 

Upcoming Family Care Management Regional Meetings

The Illinois Department of Human Services is hosting a series of regional meetings to discuss the restructuring of Family Case Management services in Illinois.

All meetings will take place from 9am – 1pm and individuals are invited to attend one or all of the following meetings:

Friday, December 5th
McLean County Health Department
200 West Front Street in Bloomington

Monday, December 8th
Illinois Dept of Transportation
Dirksen Parkway in Springfield

Tuesday, December 9th
Mt. Vernon Visitor's Center
200 Potomac Blvd in Mt. Vernon

IMCHC has produced a fact sheet on Family Case Management with promising practices and recommendations; click here to obtain a copy.

Archived Topics

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

• Donate Shoe Boxes to the Campaign to Save Our Babies
• I-CARE Information Sessions

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Ask Congress to restore the Family Medical Leave Act!

With just 66 days left in office and in the midst of an unprecedented economic meltdown, President Bush is rolling back protections for working families by modifying released regulations that modify the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The FMLA is the only federal law specifically targeted to giving workers the time they need to care for their families. It provides qualified workers with 12 weeks of unpaid leave to recover from their own serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition or to bond with a new child. 
Under the new regulations:

• Employers will have more direct access to the health care providers and health information of workers and their family members, jeopardizing workers’ medical privacy.
• Workers will have less time to give notice of their need for leave while employers get more time to let them know whether the request for leave has been approved, making it harder for workers to access FMLA leave.
• Workers will have more requirements regarding fitness for duty policies and more procedures for requesting FMLA leave, which will make it easier for employers to delay or deny FMLA leave. 
• It will be more difficult for workers to use their paid leave (such as paid vacation) while on FMLA leave — making it impossible for some workers to take FMLA leave at all.

Visit the National Partnership for Women and Families’ website to send a message to your elected officials and urge them to restore and expand FMLA protections in the early days of the new Administration.

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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.

Job Posting - Chicago Public Schools
The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) seeks a physician-leader to serve in a strategic health-promoting position for the nation’s 3rd largest school district. The Officer of Medical Affairs and Health Policy will launch and direct efforts to advance the goals and objectives of the Chicago School Health Collaborative: a shared endeavor of CPS and the City of Chicago’s Department of Public Health (CDPH). 

The Officer of Medical Affairs and Health Policy will work from the CEO’s Office in CPS, and directly with the Commissioner of CDPH and other members of the School Health Executive Committee. The Officer will be a leading medical authority in the school system, and an advocate for health-promoting behaviors, programs and policies most likely to improve the health and school performance of Chicago’s 420,000 students.

A successful candidate will bring together staff from CPS and CDPH, academics, policymakers, partners in the community, and local and national advisors to coordinate multi-level responses to complex school health issues such as violence, mental health, and chronic diseases.

A successful candidate will meet these have the following qualifications:
• MD with experiences in urban school health or public health fields
• History of health policy development and implementation work
• Senior level management experience
• Track record of creating and sustaining partnerships with diverse stakeholders
• Chicago residency (at time of employment)

Applicants should submit a cover letter and current CV or resume to cpsmedicalhealthofficersearch@gmail.com by January 10, 2009. Chicago Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Posting - Program Manager, National Assembly on School-Based Health Care

The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC) is currently seeking a Program Manger. Job requirements and responsibilities include:
•    project management and evaluation,
•    develop training materials and applications, and
•    deliver training and technical assistance on aspects of school-based health care, including school mental health.
•    Masters degree in public health, mental health, health education, or a related field,
•    5-10 years combined project management and training experience.  

The position is located in Washington, DC and is available immediately. For a detailed job description, visit NASBHC’s website. Interested candidates should send a resume, cover letter and salary history/ requirements to Alicia Newell.  

Job Posting - Policy Analyst for the Budget & Tax Policy Initiative, Voices for Illinois Children 

Washington Post Op-Ed Examines Health Care Myths

An op-ed in the November 23rd Washington Post examines the truth behind five myths commonly used to describe the US health care system. They include:  

• "America has the best health care in the world": The U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation in the world and has the most expensive system per capita, but U.S. residents lag behind those in other industrialized nations on almost all health indicators;
• "Somebody else is paying for your health insurance": All U.S. residents, regardless of whether they have employer-sponsored health insurance, pay for coverage through lower wages, as well as pay taxes to fund public health insurance programs;
• "We would save a lot if we could cut the administrative waste of private insurance": Administrative costs for private health insurance are necessary in many cases, and a reduction of such costs by half would reduce health care spending by only about 5%, or about $124 billion;
• "Health care reform is going to cost a bundle": The U.S. can implement a number of measures, such as improved efficiency in the delivery of health care and improvement in the quality of care provided, to reduce costs; and
• "Americans aren't ready for a major overhaul of the health care system": About 70% of U.S. residents believe that the health care system requires major changes, and only 7% rate the system as excellent, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – November 24, 2008

New Committee Chair Expected to Act on Health Care

Congressional House Democrats voted Congressman Henry Waxman of California as the new chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who is expected to support and move forward President-elect Barack Obama’s policies on health care, energy and climate change. He replaces current chair, Democratic Congressman John Dingell of Michigan who has held the position for 28 years.   

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – November 21, 2008

Federal Economic Stimulus Package Delayed

Lack of support from Congressional Republicans has led Congressional Democratic leaders to postpone work on an economic stimulus bill that contained an additional $37.8 billion in state Medicaid funds in the Senate bill and $14.7 billion in a House bill. Governors and other state-level leaders have been making the case for additional federal Medicaid funds to help states fill budget deficits.

Chief of staff to President-elect Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel, said that a stimulus package would be among the “first order of business” in 2009.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – November 21, 2008

Average Annual PPO Deductibles Now Over $1000 for Individuals in Employer-Sponsored Insurance 

A new study by Mercer, an international company that provides advice on business finance and human resources, shows that the average annual PPO deductible for an individual employee in 2008 increased from $859 last year to just over $1000 this year. Many employers say that this is the easiest way to reduce cost without taking money directly from the employee’s paycheck.

Additional increases are expected in 2009, especially with the economic downturn.

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – November 20, 2008

New Families USA Study Finds One in Nine US Children Uninsured in 2007 

A new report from Families USA showed that more than 11% of US children, or nearly one in nine, was uninsured in 2007. The report found Texas to have the worst rate of uninsured children with 20.5%. Illinois’ rate of uninsured children was 8.7% in 2007.  

The report also found that 88.2% of children without insurance come from families with at least one parent working and more than half live in two-parent homes. More children are expected to become uninsured as a result of the economic downturn.

Families USA representatives plan to meet with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team to discuss the report. One recommendation from the report includes reauthorizing and expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which has already been mentioned as a priority for the new Congress and President-elect Obama in 2009.  

Source: Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report – November 24, 26, 2008

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Christmas Bazaar to Benefit Campaign to Save Our Babies
Sunday, December 7th
1pm-6pm
516 E. 32nd Street in Chicago
Contact Rebecca Holbrook at 312-491-8161x23 for more information

Congressional District Committee Health Care Meeting
Monday, December 8th
7pm-8:30pm
Temple Beth Israel
3601 Dempster Street in Skokie
RSVP to Eric Quamme

Congressional District Committee Health Care Meeting
Tuesday, December 9th
7pm-8:30pm
Many People's Church
1507 W. Morse St. in Chicago (two doors down from The Common Cup)
RSVP to Eric Quamme

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

Congressional District Committee Health Care Meeting
Tuesday, December 16th
7pm-8:30pm
First Congregational United Church of Christ
320 Grand Avenue in Waukegan
RSVP to Eric Quamme

Congressional District Committee Health Care Meeting
Wednesday, December 17th
7pm-8:30pm
Des Plaines Library
1501 Ellinwood Avenue, Room C in Des Plaines
RSVP to Eric Quamme

IMCHC Central Illinois Chapter Meeting (during the South Central Perinatal Advisory Committee Meeting)
Friday, January 16th, 2009
9am – 12pm
St. John’s Hospital
Bunn Auditorium, 800 E. Carpenter Street in Springfield
RSVP to Cindy McDermith


IMCHC Southern Illinois Chapter Meeting
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
12:15pm-2:15pm
Municipal West Building
200 Potomac in Mt. Vernon
RSVP to Lilah Handler

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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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