[AUG. 1, 2005] SPRINGFIELD -- In an ongoing effort to improve
access to health care in Illinois, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced
Sunday that the new state budget includes $1 million for the
implementation of the Health Care Justice Act. This funding will
allow the Adequate Health Care Task Force, which has its first
meeting today (Monday), to begin working on a comprehensive health
care access plan for Illinois.
Recent estimates indicated that nearly 14 percent of the Illinois
population lacks health insurance, and many residents have
experienced periods of time when health benefits were not
affordable, available or adequate in covering all their health care
needs. Disproportionately large numbers of working poor, minorities
and young adults are often entirely without coverage.
"Despite the
state's efforts to expand eligibility for publicly funded health
coverage programs, many Illinoisans remain uninsured because of the
rising cost of health insurance," Blagojevich said. "A lack of
health insurance is a significant barrier to accessing health care
services, including services that could prevent people from getting
a disease or an existing disease from becoming worse. The task force
will address this very serious problem and help suggest possible
solutions."
The first task force meeting is from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday at
the James R. Thompson Center Auditorium, 100 W. Randolph St. in
Chicago. This meeting is open to the public.
The Health Care Justice Act, which the governor signed into law
last year, creates the 29-member Adequate Health Care Task Force,
charged with developing a comprehensive health care access plan.
The task force's plan must provide all Illinois residents with
access to a full range of preventative, acute and long-term health
care services. The act requires recommendations to be submitted to
the General Assembly and strongly encourages enactment of a plan by
Dec. 31, 2006. The plan is to be implemented by July 1, 2007.
The Adequate Health Care Task Force consists of five members
appointed by the governor and six appointments by each of the four
legislative leaders. The task force is required to conduct public
hearings in each congressional district and maintain a website
detailing the group's work.
"Those who are uninsured usually lack the resources to pay for
needed care and are likely to delay seeking care until their health
has deteriorated and the treatments required are more complicated
and more costly," said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health
director. "Research has found that those who lack health insurance
were more likely to experience diminished health status, poorer
health outcomes when care is sought and earlier death."
In addition to health-related impacts, high levels of uninsured
impose serious economic burdens. For individuals, inadequate health
insurance coverage results in medical debt, a frequent and
increasing cause for personal bankruptcies. For providers,
treatments administered to the uninsured result in significant
financial losses due to uncompensated care. And, for society, caring
for the uninsured imposes a collective economic burden as providers
shift costs to recoup losses and public funds are absorbed by
necessary safety-net health care providers.
"The process that will officially begin on Monday is a historical
moment that touches every aspect of society and will be the greatest
endeavor ever undertaken by the people of Illinois," said Jim
Duffett, executive director of Campaign for Better Health Care. "Our
success here in Illinois to implement an affordable, accessible and
quality health care plan for all will be the biggest economic boon
for businesses and will move state governments throughout our
country to take action too. We applaud the leadership of Governor
Blagojevich, state Representative William Delgado and former state
Senator Barack Obama, who were the chief sponsors of this act."
The Campaign for Better Health Care is the largest health care
coalition in Illinois and led the effort to get the Health Care
Justice Act passed.
Members of the Adequate Health Care
Task Force:
Timothy M. Carrigan, Chicago
Jan Daker, Belleville
James A. Duffett, Urbana
Niva Lubin-Johnson, M.D., Chicago
Ruth M. Rothstein, Chicago
Margaret Davis, Dolton
Robyn Gabel, Chicago
Colleen Kannaday, Blue Island
State Sen. Iris Y. Martinez, D-Chicago
State Sen. Donne E. Trotter, D-Chicago,
Quentin Young, M.D., Chicago
Catherine Bresler, Morton Grove
Wayne Lerner, Chicago
Pamela D. Mitroff, Wheaton
James M. Moore, Peoria
Gregory S. Smith, Lincoln
Kenneth Smithmier, Decatur
Anthony L. Barbato, M.D., River Forest
Kenneth Boyd, Chicago
Arthur G. Jones, M.D., Chicago
David Koehler, Peoria
Joseph Orthoefer, D.V.M., Rockford
Craig Backs, M.D., Springfield
State Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, R-Glenview
Mike Murphy, Springfield
Tracey Printen, Chicago
Ken Robbins, Naperville
Joe Roberts, Sandwich
There is one vacancy on the task force.
The directors of the departments of Public Health, Aging,
Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Public Aid), the director
of the Division of Insurance of the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation, and the secretary of the Department of
Human Services, or their designees, will represent their respective
organizations at task force meetings and will work cooperatively to
provide administrative support to the task force. The Department of
Public Health will be the primary agency providing administrative
support.
