2011 Health Benefits Exchange Campaign
Background: The State of Health Care Reform in Illinois
The federal health care reform law (known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)) was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in March 2010. This landmark legislation is being implemented in phases through 2014.
The PPACA is a huge act with many moving parts. It prohibits much of the discrimination that prevents consumers from accessing quality health insurance. No longer will pre-existing conditions prevent people from accessing insurance. Annual coverage limits and lifetime caps are eliminated, and, across the nation, young adults can remain on their parents’ plans up age 26.
PPACA provides federal money, oversight and sets some requirements, but the central feature of this legislation is the autonomy granted to each state to establish health insurance exchanges. The PPACA can only make good on the promise of access to affordable, quality health care for all Illinois residents if Illinois legislators vote to make it happen.
Too few Illinois residents and their legislators are aware of the stakes involved with this effort. If Illinois fails to create a strong, effective health insurance exchange, hundreds of thousands of individuals and small businesses will lose out. It is critically important that we complete health care reform in Illinois because the current health care market place is not working.
Our Focus: Completing Health Care Reform in Illinois
By the end of the year, Illinois must pass legislation to create a Health Benefits Exchange. If done properly, an Illinois Health Benefits Exchange will play a crucial role in expanding access to insurance and controlling cost.
Exchanges are a market-friendly approach and have been implemented in states like Utah and Massachusetts. Their approach is not unlike “Travelocity” or “Orbitz” and includes an easy to navigate website that allows apples-to-apples comparisons of private insurance plans. Once up and running, individuals and small businesses will find their health insurance options expanded and improved.
Creating a strong, consumer friendly health benefits exchange in a state like Illinois will be no easy task. The health insurance lobby is very strong and many legislators are responsive to their pleas not to disrupt the existing system. This system works to their advantage: Illinois insurance companies are making record profits. Blue Cross Blue Shield made $1.1 billion in profit last year, doubling their 2009 results (Source: Crain’s Chicago
Business, June 20, 2011).
It is up to organized citizens to press for the kind of exchange that will give individuals and small businesses access to the health insurance plans they need – and deserve.
