Bertino-Tarrant Supports Bill To Expand Eligibility for Illinois Medicaid

February 28, 2013

Illinois State Bill 26 passed today in the Illinois State Senate.  Beginning January 1, 2014, the bill:

"extends benefits under the State's medical assistance program to persons aged 19 or older, but younger than 65, who are not otherwise eligible for medical assistance under the Code, who qualify for medical assistance under specified provisions of the Social Security Act, and who have income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level plus 5% for the applicable family size. Provides that the 4-year moratorium on the expansion of medical assistance eligibility through increasing financial eligibility standards shall not apply to this new class of persons. Provides that such persons shall receive coverage for the Health Benefits Service Package. Defines "Health Benefits Service Package". Provides that if Illinois' federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) is reduced below 90% for persons eligible for medical assistance under the specified provisions, medical assistance eligibility for this new class of persons shall cease no later than the end of the third month following the month in which the reduction in FMAP takes effect. Effective immediately."

This means that an individual with an annual income below 15,415 would be able to enroll in Medicaid starting January 14, 2014.  As part of the federal Patient Care and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the State will be repaid by the federal government for the entire cost of these new Medicaid enrollees through 2017. The rate of reimbursement will decrease from 100% after 2017 but remain at least 90% after 2020.  

Illinois State Bill 26 Full Text HERE.

State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) issued the following statement today after the Senate passed healthcare  expansion legislation (SB 26) out of its chamber: “There are over 4,000 needy people in the 49^th District who will benefit from this proposal. I am pleased that the Senate was able to pass legislation that extends protections to people and families whose health and well-being are too often overlooked.”

Kinzinger Calls for Repeal of Obamacare

Congressman Adam Kinzinger released the following press release today after voting in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal Obamacare:

"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), voted in support of today’s House vote to repeal the government takeover of health care.  Kinzinger, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, gave the following remarks on the House floor in opposition to the overall tax burden this health care law places on the economy:

Kinzinger's remarks:

"The other day the Supreme Court made one thing very clear -- the individual mandate is nothing more than a tax.  

"The overall tax burden that this puts on our economy is staggering.   The overall tax burden this puts on the middle class is staggering.   And along with those unprecedented personal tax that this implements -- let me point out two other major ones: 

·         A $20 billion device tax - okay?  You can pay for that, according to this bill.

·         A $102 billion small business health insurance tax.

"This bill clearly places a huge tax burden on the American people as said by the Supreme Court.

"And by the way, yesterday the administration asked for a tax increase on the majority of small businesses.   But don't worry because that's only for a year, because in a year taxes will increase on all levels of income if the tax cuts are allowed to expire.  

"In 2010, the American people sent a message to Washington when they sent one of the largest, boldest freshmen classes they have ever sent to Washington, D.C.   We were here with the mandate stop the taxes, repeal this health care law.  And we'll do that."