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What health reform means for the people of Illinois

A blog by IllinoisHealthMatters.org

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Register now! Monday Conference Call with Senator Koehler!

Sen. Dave Koehler on SB1729 "Illinois' Competitive Health Care Marketplace: the Insurance Exchange"
Monday, April 25 12-1 PM

THE SCORE SO FAR
Round One - The passage of State Rep. Mautino's Exchange bill, HB1577, written by and for the insurance industry. No consumer participation, no consumer protections, no governance mechanism, eliminates IL's opportunity for $150-250 million in federal funding. Win for Big Insurance.

Round Two - HB1577, the insurance industry bill, has thus far been stopped in the Senate because of consumer involvement. A better, consumer-based alternative, SB1729, sponsored by Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) introduced as the first step in developing the Illinois exchange. Written by and for a variety of stakeholders, this competitive health care marketplace introduces a framework that includes a governance structure, some consumer protections, conflict of interest clauses, and begins to require insurance companies to meet strict standards for participation. SB1729 now numbers 17 co-sponsors and growing! WIN for Illinois consumers and small businesses!

Round Three - Consumers around the state are gearing up to win by making sure the insurance industry's bill is defeated and SB1729, the better consumer alternative, is passed in Springfield. We need to bring the same intensity to Springfield that we brought to the federal battle last year. JOIN US IN MAKING IT HAPPEN!

Register today to hear Sen. Dave Koehler explain SB1729 and how it impacts consumers and small businesses in Illinois. NOTE: Please update your calendar - this call is happening on Monday, April 25 at noon.

ABOUT SENATOR KOEHLER
Prior to making the jump to the Illinois Senate, Sen. Dave Koehler served as a minister for the United Church of Christ; was a staff member for the National Farm Worker Ministry and for Peoria Friendship House, served as Executive Director of the Peoria Area Labor Management Council (PALM), and the President for Labor Management Cooperative Health Programs, Inc. He served on the Peoria County Board from 1982 through 1988, and the Peoria City Council from 1989 to 1997. He is a current co-owner of the Peoria Bread Company. Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) serves as the Vice President of the Health Care Justice Act's Adequate Health Care Task Force.

UPCOMING CALLS
CBHC has conference calls every second and fourth Monday of every month. For more information on upcoming calls, speakers, and topics, visit our conference call webpage. Missed a call? Don't worry; you can listen to past calls on our audio archive!

HAVE AN IDEA FOR CALL TOPIC?
Let us know! These calls are meant to give you the information you want about health care reform in Illinois. Please let us know what topics you'd like to see us cover in future calls by emailing Kathleen Duffy with your ideas.

Jim Duffett
Campaign for Better Health Care

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