Pritzker Announces Series of New
Measures to Help Illinoisans Affected by COVID-19
Governor Announces Sales Tax Deferral for
Bars and Restaurants, SBA Loan Eligibility, New Grocery Hours for
Seniors, Expanded Health Care Services
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[June 17, 2020]
As
Illinoisans face increasing challenges as a result of the
coronavirus, Governor JB Pritzker announced a series of new measures
to relieve pressure on small businesses, increase safe opportunities
for vulnerable populations to purchase essentials and expand health
care services for patients and providers.
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“Our social distancing efforts are the most
important thing we can do to protect our seniors and support our
health care workers,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The fight against
COVID-19 is a scientific one: it requires the best that medicine,
innovation and statistics have to offer. But as we do all that we
can to find a cure, find treatments, and support our medical
infrastructure, we can’t forget the exceptional human costs of these
mitigating measures. We must do all that we can to address them.”
SALES TAX DEFERRAL FOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS
To help alleviate some of the unprecedented challenges facing bars
and restaurants due to COVID-19, Gov. Pritzker has directed the
Department of Revenue to defer sales tax payments for more than
24,000 small- and medium-sized bars and restaurants — accounting for
nearly 80% of all such entities statewide.
Under the directive, eating and drinking establishments that
incurred less than $75,000 in sales tax liabilities last year will
not be charged penalties or interest on payments due in March, April
or May made late. The Department of Revenue estimates this will give
relief to nearly 80% of bars and restaurants in Illinois.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Mar/20/images/ads/current/charrons_bch041713.png)
Penalties and interest will be automatically waived; however,
qualified taxpayers must still file their sales tax return even if
they are unable to make a payment. Any taxpayers taking advantage of
this relief will be required to pay their sales tax liabilities due
in March, April and May in four installments starting on May 20 and
extending through August 20. For more information, please view
IDOR’s informational bulletin available at tax.illinois.gov.
SBA APPROVES SMALL BUSINESS LOANS IN ILLINOIS
Two days after submitting documentation demonstrating the impact of
COVID-19 on more than 3,000 businesses across the state, Gov.
Pritzker announced today that the U.S. Small Business Administration
has approved the state’s eligibility for disaster assistance loans
for small businesses facing financial hardship in all 102 counties
due to COVID-19. Eligible businesses can apply for up to $2 million
in low-interest loans at:
https://disaster loan.sba.gov
NEW GROCERY STORE HOURS FOR OLDER RESIDENTS
After convening the largest grocers and food manufacturers in the
state with the help of Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Gov.
Pritzker announced today that a growing coalition of grocery stores
statewide will set aside one or more hours of operation for older
residents to shop, before stores open to the general public.
Among the grocers with new hours for elderly shoppers are Whole
Foods and Shop & Save in the Chicagoland area and Hy-Vee and Valli
Produce throughout Illinois.
EXPANDING HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Gov. Pritzker announced today that his administration is
implementing several measures to remove regulatory barriers for
health providers and increase opportunity for patients as
Illinoisans are urged to stay home as much as possible during this
time.
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Through emergency rules and an executive order, the
Pritzker administration has significantly relaxed rules around
telemedicine for both Medicaid and private insurers, allowing more
providers to get reimbursed for these services that allow patients
more flexibility and safety. For plans regulated by the Department
of Insurance, the executive order calls for providers to be
reimbursed at the same rate at which they are reimbursed for
in-person visits and prohibits private health insurers from imposing
any cost-sharing for in-network providers. For Medicaid, the
emergency rules also require providers to be reimbursed at the same
rate at which they are reimbursed for in-person visits.
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services has filed an 1135
waiver with the federal government to remove administrative barriers
for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The
Pritzker administration is seeking to increase access to telehealth
and the number of health care providers that can screen patients,
allow 90-day prescription supplies without prior authorization and
early refills, as well as several other items that will increase
flexibility and provide additional resources.
The Department of Human Services has also filed a federal waiver to
ease eligibility requirements for food assistance programs like SNAP
and WIC, which cover 1.8 million Illinoisans and 174,000 pregnant
women and parents of young children respectively.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES WILL REMAIN
As rumors continue to swirl, Gov. Pritzker assures Illinoisans that
essential services will always remain open, including but not
limited to grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations. As new
information becomes available, the Pritzker administration will
continue to communicate with the public and media in a timely and
transparent manner.
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ILLINOISANS: STAY HOME
Social distancing is the paramount strategy for minimizing the
spread of COVID-19 in our communities. The Governor continues to
make tough calls to keep Illinoisans safe, including mandating that
events of 50 people or more be canceled, suspending dine-in
operations of bars and restaurants and temporarily closing public
and private K-12 schools. Public health officials continue to urge
Illinoisans to stay home as much as possible.
Those experiencing symptoms should call a health care provider who
will help arrange medical treatment without putting others at risk
of exposure.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has a statewide COVID-19
hotline and website to answer any questions from the public or to
report a suspected case: call 1-800-889-3931 or visit
IDPH.illinois.gov. |