Illinois
Status of reform effort: Despite the General Assembly’s failure to approve comprehensive health reform in 2007, Governor Blagojevich is seeking to use his executive authority to expand health care coverage. It is expected that debate on health care reform will continue in the 2008 legislative session.
On March 7, 2007, Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) proposed “Illinois Covered” to provide affordable and quality health care coverage to all residents. The proposal builds on the Illinois All Kids program, which was the first program in the country to provide health care for all children.
The components of “Illinois Covered” include:
IllinoisCovered Choice:Statewide purchasing pool through which small businesses and individuals without access to employer-sponsored insurance can purchase insurance coverage.
IllinoisCovered Rebate: Premium subsidies for individuals with incomes between 100 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level, to help them purchase insurance.
IllinoisCovered Assist & Expansion of FamilyCare:A new program to cover adults under poverty and an expansion of health care coverage to families up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
The Governor proposed financing the plan through a new Illinois Covered Trust Fund, with a 3 percent employer assessment as its primary revenue source. The “Illinois Health Care For All Act” (SB5) incorporated provisions of the Governor’s proposal and was introduced in the legislature in January 2007. Although the legislation did not pass, debate on health care reform is expected to continue in the 2008 legislative session.
Because the General Assembly failed to approve “Illinois Covered” during the 2007 legislative session, the Governor is seeking to use his executive authority to expand health care coverage in various ways. In October, Illinois became the first state to provide free mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams, and Pap tests to all uninsured women. The Governor’s proposal to expand FamilyCare up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level was rejected by an Illinois rule-making committee. However, the Governor will continue to try to implement several other programs.*
* For more information about “Illinois Covered” see: http:/www.illinoiscovered.com/. S.B. 8, 95th General Assembly (Illinois 2007). For bill text see: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=51&GA=95&DocTypeId=SB&
DocNum=0005&GAID=9&LegID=27215&SpecSess=&Session=.
Updated as of 11/19/07
