May 19, 2013
Medicaid Expansion Debate Ahead in Illinois House
Associated Press
The Illinois House is gearing up to consider a key part of President Barack Obama's health care law [Senate Bill 26], an expansion of Medicaid that would provide coverage to low-income adults who don't have children at home.
Illinois Income Tax Collections Rise 33% in April
Reuters
Governor Pat Quinn said the one-time revenue surge will be used to pay down the state's backlog of bills, which have topped $9 billion though the state increased its flat personal income tax rate by 67 percent in 2011.
Senate Panel OKs Concealed-Carry Bill Over NRA Opposition
Chicago Sun-Times
Favored by gun-control advocates, a push establishing tight limits on where Illinois gun owners could carry their weapons in public advanced in the state Senate Thursday over objections from the National Rifle Association. Backed by Gov. Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, [Sen. Kwame] Raoul's measure would prohibit anyone with concealed-carry permits from going into government buildings, bars, public-transit trains and buses, airports, schools, day-care centers, hospitals, sports arenas and stadiums and university property, among other places.
Dangers Found in Lack of Safety Oversight for Medicare Drug Benefit
Washington Post
Ten years ago, a sharply divided Congress decided to pour billions of dollars into subsidizing the purchase of drugs by elderly and disabled Americans. The initiative, the biggest expansion of Medicare since its creation in 1965, proved wildly popular… An analysis of four years of Medicare prescription records shows that some doctors and other health professionals across the country prescribe large quantities of drugs that are potentially harmful, disorienting or addictive for their patients. Federal officials have done little to detect or deter these hazardous prescribing patterns.
Hospital Pricing Gouges Patients: Our View
USA Today Op-Ed
Shouldn't you be able to see the price of something before you buy it, so you can shop for value or simply figure out whether you can afford it? Before you roll your eyes and say, "Of course," think about the last time you bought medical care, especially in a hospital. See any price lists on the wall? Probably not. And, if you had, you might have fainted on the spot.
Hospital Billing Too Complex: Another View (from AHA)
USA Today Op-Ed
Many parts of America's health care delivery and financing systems urgently need updating, and the matter of "charges" ranks high on the list. Today's hospital bill is a symptom of a broken payment system.
House Votes Again to Repeal Health Law
New York Times
One by one, they queued up in the aisles of the House of Representatives, eager for their one minute to unload on President Obama’s signature legislative achievement…At the end of more than five hours, Mrs. Bachmann banged the gavel with a satisfied smile. The 37th effort to repeal, defund or otherwise dismantle the law had passed 229 to 195. No Republicans voted against the repeal and two Democrats voted for it. But the bill, which has no chance in the Senate, will go no further.
Obamacare: 3 Years In, it Faces Steep Challenges
USA Today
Americans have a dimmer view of the health care law now than they did when Obama triumphantly signed it three years ago, according to monthly tracking polls by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Southern Illinois Healthcare Shows Off Their Disaster Blasters
WPSD
When natural disaster strikes, you might not always be prepared, but Southern Illinois Healthcare wants you to rest a little easier. On Thursday, SIH brought out the Disaster Blasters. They are a fleet of medically equipped trailers that come to the rescue when you need them most.
Centegra Focusing on Huntley Hospital, Not Rivals' Merger
Daily Herald
Centegra, McHenry County's largest employer, intends to build the 128-bed hospital at its existing campus. Centegra officials have no plans to take legal action against the merger, said Susan Milford, senior vice president of strategy and development.