Health News
Illinois Cares Rx is one of the many health programs on the chopping block in Governor Quinn's Medicaid budget plan. This will affect 160,000 low income seniors and people with disabilities who receive Illinois Cares Rx to help them pay for life-saving medications, typically for chronic health conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, heart disease or Alzheimer?s.
There are no "good" choices when it comes to budget cuts in health & human services in Illinois - but it's critical for state legislators to separate the myths from the facts when decision time arrives. One of the myths being spread around is that Illinois Cares Rx can be cut because the Affordable Care Act will replace it in 2014.
Simply put, that is not true:
Please call your legislators and make sure that they have the facts about Illinois Cares Rx cuts which affects all districts in Illinois. Call 1-888-616-3322 which will connect you directly to your legislators and tell them to ?Preserve Funding for Illinois Cares Rx.?
John Coburn
Senior Policy Attorney
Health & Disability Advocates
- The Negative Impact Of Smart Act Cuts
This post originally appeared as a letter from Age Options to the IL House of Representatives human Services Appropriations Committee, submitted on Feb. 20, 2013 The cuts to Medicaid that were implemented July 1, 2012 as a result of the SMART Act have...
- Choose Wisely, Illinois: Alternatives For Balancing The Medicaid Budget
On Thursday, April 19, 2012, the Governor released a proposal for the reduction of the current $2.7 billion Medicaid budget deficit. The proposal, developed with a group of legislators on the Medicaid Commission, includes $2 billion in cuts to eligibility...
- Whose Budget Problem Is Worse Than Illinois?
Illinois has a budget problem. Ironically, our state leaders all agree that one of the ways to solve this problem is to pass it along to the household budgets of some of our most vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities. How? ...
- Cutting Illinois Cares Rx Would Be Penny-wise & Pound Foolish
The Chicago Tribune recent editorial, "Time to move on medicaid spending," correctly points out that Illinois must look at its Medicaid spending and implement innovative ways to cut costs while preserving care to its very poor and sick participants. ...
- Older Adults And People With Disabilities In Illinois Are Already Benefiting From Health Care Reform
Older adults and people with disabilities in Illinois are concerned about what they?ve been hearing about changes to the Medicare program and other healthcare reforms that affect them and their families. It is often hard to sort out the facts, so many...
Health News
The Affordable Care Act Will Not Replace Illinois Cares Rx
Illinois Cares Rx is one of the many health programs on the chopping block in Governor Quinn's Medicaid budget plan. This will affect 160,000 low income seniors and people with disabilities who receive Illinois Cares Rx to help them pay for life-saving medications, typically for chronic health conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, heart disease or Alzheimer?s.
There are no "good" choices when it comes to budget cuts in health & human services in Illinois - but it's critical for state legislators to separate the myths from the facts when decision time arrives. One of the myths being spread around is that Illinois Cares Rx can be cut because the Affordable Care Act will replace it in 2014.
Simply put, that is not true:
- Illinois Cares Rx pays for Medicare Part D premiums; the Affordable Care Act will not.
- Illinois Cares Rx covers Medicare Part D deductibles; the Affordable Care Act will not.
- Illinois Cares Rx reduces the cost of medications when seniors and people with disabilities hit the "donut hole;" while the Affordable Care Act has begun to close the donut hole it will not completely close it until 2020.
Please call your legislators and make sure that they have the facts about Illinois Cares Rx cuts which affects all districts in Illinois. Call 1-888-616-3322 which will connect you directly to your legislators and tell them to ?Preserve Funding for Illinois Cares Rx.?
John Coburn
Senior Policy Attorney
Health & Disability Advocates
- The Negative Impact Of Smart Act Cuts
This post originally appeared as a letter from Age Options to the IL House of Representatives human Services Appropriations Committee, submitted on Feb. 20, 2013 The cuts to Medicaid that were implemented July 1, 2012 as a result of the SMART Act have...
- Choose Wisely, Illinois: Alternatives For Balancing The Medicaid Budget
On Thursday, April 19, 2012, the Governor released a proposal for the reduction of the current $2.7 billion Medicaid budget deficit. The proposal, developed with a group of legislators on the Medicaid Commission, includes $2 billion in cuts to eligibility...
- Whose Budget Problem Is Worse Than Illinois?
Illinois has a budget problem. Ironically, our state leaders all agree that one of the ways to solve this problem is to pass it along to the household budgets of some of our most vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities. How? ...
- Cutting Illinois Cares Rx Would Be Penny-wise & Pound Foolish
The Chicago Tribune recent editorial, "Time to move on medicaid spending," correctly points out that Illinois must look at its Medicaid spending and implement innovative ways to cut costs while preserving care to its very poor and sick participants. ...
- Older Adults And People With Disabilities In Illinois Are Already Benefiting From Health Care Reform
Older adults and people with disabilities in Illinois are concerned about what they?ve been hearing about changes to the Medicare program and other healthcare reforms that affect them and their families. It is often hard to sort out the facts, so many...