Issues

Healthcare

Position

As a growing cost of doing business in Illinois, healthcare is an important consideration. It is estimated that health care benefits in Illinois cost approximately $25 billion annually. Controlling and/or reducing health care costs are therefore a priority for employers, as well as the accessibility to affordable health care.

NIBAC supports policies that will drive the health care debate in the General Assembly.

  1. Allowing small businesses to pool their risk and harness their collective buying power will result in cost savings that will encourage employers to continue or begin to offer coverage to employees. We SUPPORT legislation that would allow small businesses to join together through association health plans.
  2. The State of Illinois expects employers to contribute to health insurance coverage for their workers to help insure that individuals have access to affordable health care. We SUPPORT the recommendation by the Adequate Healthcare Task Force in their final report (Ja., 2007) to fund further studies to determine the impact of proposed employer parameters, in order to minimize the impact on small businesses and retain employers in the Illinois market.
  3. The Adequate Health Care Task Force Final Report (Jan., 2007) advocates spreading risks broadly and stabilizing premiums in the health insurance market. We SUPPORT this goal by asking legislators to analyze whether other state's efforts to merge non-group and small group health insurance markets can be applied to Illinois.
  4. Past actions to legislate additional mandates of coverage have contributed to the escalating costs of health insurance. We encourage legislators to resist the temptation to create additional mandates and SUPPORT legislation that would remove previous mandates to allow for a basic health care plan.
  5. We SUPPORT additional improvements to HSA's (Health Savings Accounts) to make it easier for small business and individuals to participate.
  6. Meaningful malpractice reform is a continued concern for Illinoisans interested in retaining high quality physicians at local healthcare facilities. We SUPPORT legislation addressing increasing premiums for medical liability/malpractice insurance, support limits on awards for non-economic damages, cap punitive damages against small businesses, and punish those who try to bring frivolous lawsuits into the court system.

News

  • Poll
    Sep 6, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    So where is the money for these programs coming from?" Retired electrician Joseph Salerno, of Niles, considered himself a lifelong Democrat, but no more. Most of those surveyed favored at least some of the changes going into effect. Only 27 percent of Illinois voters polled said they thought the changes should be repealed outright. Another 43 percent favored carrying out the plans in their entirety or with minor changes.
  • Poll: Obama's appeal slides in Illinois
    Sep 5, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    So where is the money for these programs coming from?"Retired electrician Joseph Salerno, of Niles, considered himself a lifelong Democrat, but no more. Most of those surveyed favored at least some of the changes going into effect. Only 27 percent of Illinois voters polled said they thought the changes should be repealed outright.Another 43 percent favored carrying out the plans in their entirety or with minor changes.
  • Tribune/WGN-TV poll
    Sep 5, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    So where is the money for these programs coming from?" Retired electrician Joseph Salerno, of Niles, considered himself a lifelong Democrat, but no more. Most of those surveyed favored at least some of the changes going into effect. Only 27 percent of Illinois voters polled said they thought the changes should be repealed outright. Another 43 percent favored carrying out the plans in their entirety or with minor changes.
  • Patients' choices may narrow as insurers adjust standards for doctors, hospitals
    Sep 4, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    While insurance companies say quality is what gets the name of a doctor or hospital on its preferred choices list, cost is also a major factor. Illinois Blue Cross has two HMOs, HMO Illinois and BlueAdvantage, and is considering a third health plan with a smaller network. Kenneth Anderson is setting goals for its hospitals' doctors and nurses to use fewer urinary catheters, which often are unnecessarily and account for about two in five hospital infections nationally.
  • Target to launch clinics in Chicago, south Florida
    Sep 2, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    Target has 21 clinics in Minnesota and seven in Maryland stores. In the last two years, the dominant players in retail health clinic expansion, CVS and Walgreens, have slowed their growth. CVS would not disclose the actual number of visits.
  • New health insurance plan for the uninsured launches in Illinois
    Aug 20, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    Also, under health reform, health insurance plans must cover children with pre-existing medical conditions beginning Sept. 23. Also, people may be asked for proof that they do not have other insurance options. Applications will be available at insurance.illinois.gov/ipxp. Premiums for ICHIP are higher than those for IPXP, under state law.
  • Emphasis on preventive care no guarantee that employees use benefits
    Aug 19, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    ...new health care legislation soon will require insurers and employers to fully cover preventive services for workers. But the challenge may be to get employees to take advantage of the benefit, according to a new study. The Midwest Business Group on Health said workers are not using preventive care programs as much as they should despite an emphasis by large corporations in recent years on wellness. A key tenet of the health overhaul legislation, known as the Affordable Care Act,...
  • Survey: Workers often ignore preventive-care benefits
    Aug 19, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    ...employers, including Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) , Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) and Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE:KFT) Boress said employers should take advantage of the heightened awareness that came with the health legislation to point out the importance of preventive screenings as a way to detect chronic conditions that, if left untreated, could lead to higher costs for employers and their workers.Many companies offer incentives for workers to participate in wellness programs or get...
  • Group touts 'truth' about health care reform
    Aug 18, 2010 — The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.)
    ALTON -- Seniors were told the "truth" Tuesday about the new health care reform law and issues surrounding Social Security. The Alliance for Retired Americans kicked off its "Truth Tour" at the IAMAW Local 660 in East Alton. The event was one of several stops in Southern Illinois that the organization made in order to educate retirees about how the new health care law will affect Medicare and the truth about Social Security. Barbara Franklin, president of the Illinois Alliance,...
  • Small businesses to catch tax break on health premiums::
    Aug 17, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    The credit is worth up to 35 percent of the cost of the business' premiums in 2010. By Jan. 1, 2014, when the health care law is expected to be fully implemented, the rate increases to up to 50 percent.
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