News
‘I didn’t believe it’: Illinois, Cook County wipe out $2B in medical debt for pennies on dollar
5+ hour, 16+ min ago (1498+ words) SPRINGFIELD " When Kayleigh White opened a plain white envelope stamped "UNDUE" in big, bold blue letters late last year, she threw it away. The 27-year-old Rochelle resident assumed it was junk mail, or maybe a scam. The letter claimed that…...
Illinois Medicaid program faces looming funding crisis due to federal changes
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (944+ words) SPRINGFIELD " A multibillion-dollar budget crisis will hit the state's Medicaid program in the next few years unless state lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker act to prevent it, budget analysts both inside and outside state government warn. The crisis comes from…...
Illinois extends open enrollment deadline for health care plans starting Jan. 1
2+ mon, 3+ week ago (333+ words) Officials at Get Covered Illinois, the new state-run marketplace for insurance sold under the Affordable Care Act, announced Tuesday they have extended the open enrollment deadline to Dec. 31 for coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2026. Officials said the extension is intended to…...
Reports: Trump cuts could shrink Illinois economy by $10 billion
3+ mon, 4+ day ago (789+ words) Recent cuts by President Donald Trump's administration could reduce the size of Illinois' economy by nearly $10 billion each year, according to a new report released Monday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. The report offers a detailed looked at the…...
These families' health care costs will balloon if Congress doesn't act on the ACA
3+ mon, 2+ week ago (1801+ words) The government shutdown has ended without resolving a fight over health insurance. Congress failed to extend enhanced tax credits that have helped millions of Americans on Affordable Care Act plans cover their plan costs since 2021. Senate Republicans have promised a…...
Health insurance premiums are going up next year — unless you work at these companies
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (896+ words) NPR's series Cost of Living: The Price We Pay is examining what's driving price increases and how people are coping after years of stubborn inflation. How are higher prices changing the way you live? Fill out this form to share…...
States are cutting Medicaid provider payments long before Trump cuts hit
5+ mon, 1+ day ago (1213+ words) Every day for nearly 18 years, Alessandra Fabrello has been a medical caregiver for her son, on top of being his mom. "It is almost impossible to explain what it takes to keep a child alive who should be dead," said…...
What's behind the health care fight that led to the government shutdown
5+ mon, 4+ day ago (631+ words) A fight over health policy drove the current federal government shutdown. At issue is the cost of premiums for health care plans people buy on the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, marketplaces. Enhanced tax credits for these premiums expire at…...
Even megastars like Venus Williams get the health insurance blues
7+ mon, 1+ week ago (806+ words) What drove Venus Williams to the court at the Mubadala Citi DC Open this week after a year-long break from competition? "I had to come back for the insurance," she quipped in an on-court interview after winning her first-round match…...