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ILLINOIS CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES One in Christ - Together in Mission
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FamilyCare Income Eligibility increased for health care coverage
Health Care Justice Act Funding included in FY06 Budget
New Program will Seek to Close Gap in Racial Health Outcomes
Assistance Provided for Low-income Children’s Health Services
African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act PASSES
Mental Health Services Funding will be Protected by New Mandate
DCFS Children Will Receive Additional Mental Health Services
Insurance Companies Required to Cover Mental Health Services
Insurance Companies Required to Cover specific Mammograms
House Bill to Outlaw Source of Income Discrimination FAILS
House Bills to Address AIDS Crisis Run into Trouble
House & Senate Bills to advance a Living Wage Dies in Committee
General Assembly adopts budget with additional funds forFamilyCare and raises the income eligibility level to provide health care for more low-income families. The FY06 budget increases eligibility for low-income families from 133% to 185% of the Fedral Poverty Level. This means, for example, that a family of four with an income of $35,797, who have no health insurance, now will be eligible to enroll in FamilyCare. As a result, approximately 74,000 parents of KidCare eligible children will have the option to receive health care through the FamilyCare program.
The Health Care Justice Act (HCJA) funding called for in the 2004 legislation was fulfilled in this year’s 94th session. The HCJA received $1 million in funding in the recently passed budget for FY06. The Act authorizes a 34 member Health Care Task Force to conduct a comprehensive study of health care needs in Illinois, and to present its recommendations for consideration and vote by the General Assembly in 2006 that will achieve affordable, accessible, and quality health care for all Illinois residents by July 2007. The Task Force has begun work and public hearings will be held around the state in late summer and fall. With a very tight budget again this year, it clearly shows the commitment by the Governor and legislative leaders to follow through with their commitment to the Health Care Justice Act.
The Illinois General Assembly passed the Reduction of Racial and Ethnic Disparities Act (HB615). Seeking to close the gap in available medical coverage and outcomes, within Illinois’ various ethnicities, the legislation calls for direct funding to alleviate these disparities. The funding will be used by community-based projects to improve the health of people in high priority geographical areas in Illinois that suffer from asthma and high infant mortality.
The Illinois Family Case Management Act (HB612) also passed with similar goals. The Act requires the Department of Human Services to establish a program that will reduce the rates of infant mortality and low birth-weight. This act will succeed by providing funding for essential health services for the poorest families in Illinois.
The African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act (HB2578) passed unanimously by both the House and Senate. The Act calls for each high-risk community, and corrections facility, to provide free HIV testing and counseling. Also, the Department of Public Aid is to seek federal approval to expand access to HIV/AIDS health care under the Medicaid program. Finally, the multifaceted Act will abolish certain prohibitions against eligibility for cash assistance, for HIV positive citizens. Certainly, this Act will help Illinois with its fight against the AIDS epidemic.
Funding for Illinois’ state-operated mental health facilities is now protected through HB1345. The legislation mandates that: any reduction in funding to mental health facilities must be redirected to another mental health service. Essentially, HB1345 ensures that any of our states’ funds directed towards mental health are now secured for that purpose.
An amendment to the Children and Family Services Act (HB759) will seek to provide various mental health services. Every child, in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services, now will receive necessary behavioral health services such as: mental health services, trauma services, substance abuse services, and developmental disabilities services. This Act’s future will be enhanced undoubtedly by HB1345.
The General Assembly passes HB 59 to hold medical insurance companies accountable to cover mental health. The legislation eliminates the expiration date of a previous mandate that requires insurance companies to cover mental health treatments. Both chambers took issues of mental health quite seriously this session.
Mammogram examinations for women under 40 years old, with a family history of breast cancer, are to be covered by insurance companies through SB12. This measure passed unanimously as state legislators sought to require such coverage for ‘at-risk women.’
Legislation Failed – Supported by the ICC
House Bill 45 sought to end the discrimination, by landlords, against individuals based upon their source of income. The bill would have amended the Illinois Human Rights Act by adding a new category of persons protected from discrimination in residential transactions: legal source of income. In summary, a landlord could not categorically refuse to rent to recipients of state aid or vouchers, because of their source of income. The ICC sent out a PPEN alert to its members in regards to this bill, but the measure failed to make it out of the House of Representatives by some six votes. The ‘source of income’ legislation is sure to come up again next session.
There were three controversial bills concerning our state’s response to the AIDS crisis that failed to pass. One of these bills (HB253) would have required insurance companies to cover a federally approved AIDS vaccine. The bill was shot down in the House by a 61-52 margin. Another bill (HB637) would have required insurance companies to cover HIV/AIDS patients’ intravenous feeding, prescription nutritional supplements, and pharmaceutical medications. This bill also failed to pass by a narrow margin of 60-52 out of the House. Finally, HB640 would have also served the public well, but unquestionably the insurance industry’s voice was overwhelming. Basically, the bill would have required the coverage of post-exposure prophylaxis, which prevents HIV infection within 72 hours after exposure from sexual intercourse, sexual assault, drug use, accidents, or blood transfusions. The legislation failed to make it out of the House Insurance Committee by a 4-11-1 vote total.
There was a bill in both the House (HB411) and the Senate (SB37) that encompassed language advocating the implementation of a living wage measure in Illinois. The bills would have amended the Minimum Wage Law by providing employees with an adjustment in the minimum wage. The wage would be calculated each year by the Illinois Department of Labor’s percentage change in the consumer price index for urban wage earners. However, both pieces of legislation failed to actually garner a roll call vote in their respective committees.