“Illinois HB 2624, introduced by Representative Laura Fine, limits the duration of short-term health insurance plans to 181 days. The intent of HB 2624 is to ensure that healthier people do not enroll in the short-term health insurance plans that will be able to last up to 36 months without new underwriting under the new Health and Human Services guidelines, thus preserving the Illinois exchange.
Archive for the ‘Illinois Health Insurance’ Category
Governor Rauner, veto HB 2624
Tuesday, August 21st, 2018Illinois’ stack of unpaid medical bills now reaches $3.5 billion
Thursday, April 6th, 2017Crain’s Chicago Business reports:
“The state budget stalemate, which has stretched on for nearly two years, is putting lives on the line, according to emotional testimony out of the Illinois House yesterday.
That’s because the state’s now $12.6 billion backlog also includes months and months of unpaid medical bills on behalf of state workers and retirees. At last count, the state owed $3.5 billion in medical bills for its employees, according to a spokesman for the Illinois comptroller. In early March, a dental lobbying group said dentists who treat state employees were owed a collective $174 million.
Mendoza criticizes Illinois’ ‘lawless’ fiscal climate
Wednesday, March 8th, 2017Crain’s Chicago Business reports:
“Hospitals and doctors treating patients on the state payroll are now owed a collective $4.3 billion, Democratic Comptroller Susana Mendoza highlights in a new report that reflects a “lawless fiscal climate.”
The annual state report for the fiscal year ended June 30 “paints a worsening outlook” for Illinois’ financial future, the comptroller’s office said in a statement.
Ailing Obamacare co-op has an improved diagnosis
Tuesday, February 10th, 2015Crains Chicago Business reports:
“The first year for Illinois’ only co-op health insurance program could be charitably termed as troubled. Established as part of Obamacare, Land of Lincoln Healthaimed to increase competition on the state’s new health insurance exchange, but high prices meant it captured just under 2 percent of enrollments.
As it starts its second year, enrollment is up significantly. But the company is still in a hole and the clock is ticking on when it must begin repaying up to $160 million infederal loans.
State health insurance exchange scuttled in Illinois
Monday, January 12th, 2015“An 11th-hour bid to establish a state-based health insurance exchange fell short Wednesday when the Illinois House adjourned for the remainder of the year without bringing the matter for a vote.
Against the backdrop of a federal deadline to take action and the looming end of single-party control of state government, the sponsor of the measure said she couldn’t round up enough votes to get the measure to outgoing Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk.
The risk in rushing an Illinois health exchange
Wednesday, December 17th, 2014“Tns of thousands of Illinois residents will sign up for coverage under Obamacare over the next few months. Many of them wouldn’t be able to afford the insurance without a federal subsidy to help pay the premiums.
Those subsidies, however, are in jeopardy because the Affordable Care Act was poorly, hastily written. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide next year whether the subsidies are legal in Illinois and many other states that use HealthCare.gov, the federal Obamacare website.
Quinn aide: Court rulings don’t jeopardize federal health-care subsidies
Wednesday, July 30th, 2014The State Journal-Register reports:
“Conflicting federal court rulings Tuesday pose no immediate financial threat for the 168,000 Illinoisans receiving reduced-price health insurance through the federal Affordable Care Act, an aide to Gov. Pat Quinn says.
The legality of the subsidies in states such as Illinois, which doesn’t operate its own health insurance “exchange,” was called into question by one of the rulings.
Great News for Illinoisans Looking for Health Coverage
Monday, June 17th, 2013“For too long, thousands of Illinoisans have not had access to basic health and dental care even when employed. But on May 23rd, the State Senate passed a key legislative measure that will establish the state’s first Health Insurance Marketplace. House Bill 3227 passed the Senate by a vote of 39-19 and is on its way to the State House. We are now urging State Representatives to vote YES on this legislation.
IL fails to expand Medicare under ACA
Friday, January 25th, 2013ILLINOIS: The legislature’s veto session adjourned last week with the Assembly failing to finish its preliminary actions to expand Medicaid under the ACA. The House Appropriations Committee had approved a bill that would have added 520,000 state residents to the Medicaid system, providing a 50 percent match for nearly one-third of those individuals who qualify under current standards. The remaining new enrollees would be adults between the ages of 19 and 62 who have no children and incomes that are less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level. While the federal government initially would pick up 100 percent of the increased cost for the new enrollees, Illinois would gradually pick up part of the cost, expected to total about $100 million annually. An amendment was offered that would automatically eliminate new enrollees from the program if federal funding drops below 90 percent. The bills already have been re-filed along with the amendment. Passage of the bills is considered likely in February or March.
