Advocates for the poor in Illinois are pushing state lawmakers and the Rauner administration to act quickly on a program that funds hospital care.
Safety Net Hospitals provide care for thousands of people who rely on Medicaid. Through the state's assessment program, hospitals in Illinois are taxed – and then that money is used to access federal matching funds.
State Representative Natalie Phelps Finnie points to Hardin County Hospital in her deep southern Illinois district. She says a loss of funding for that facility would be devastating on multiple levels.
"It's one of the few employers left in Hardin County. It employs more than 130 people. If something were to happen to Hardin County, you're talking about lack of care – an hour's drive to the hospital on little, windy roads. And then you're talking about 130 people without a job."
The hospital assessment program expires this summer – and experts say when coupled with federal deadlines, the time to act is now. Lack of agreement could mean the loss of billions of healthcare dollars.
A hearing on the Hospital Assessment Program is scheduled for Tuesday at 9am.
