Chicago Center for Jewish Genetics Disorders

What is the Coalition to Save ICHIP?
Background Information on ICHIP
Legislative Update

What is the Coalition to Save ICHIP?

The Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders, a cooperative effort of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and Children’s Memorial Hospital, is building coalition support for a legislative proposal to promote continued funding of the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (ICHIP), which will be considered in the current Illinois General Assembly (FY07) as Senate Bill 2592 (SB2592). This vital public program offers the sole health insurance option to thousands of Illinois residents consistently denied coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions. Securing access to health insurance is directly in line with the Federation's mission of active participation in community care and problem solving.

The Coalition to Save ICHIP is concerned about the structure and financial stability of the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan and the well-being of its participants. Coalition activists have developed fiscally sound recommendations for changes in the program based on detailed research, consultation with healthcare and policy professionals, and the proven experience of other state risk pool associations. Coalition membership reflects the breadth and depth of the myriad direct service providers, researchers, and healthcare advocates whose organizational strength supports individuals with pre-existing and chronic medical conditions.

The ultimate goal of the Coalition is to pass legislation that will institute advanced disease management practices and a broad-based funding stream that will improve overall patient well-being and ensure fiscal stability for the program by reducing the need for state spending. Because the General Assembly will be adjourning early this year (April 7, 2006), it is imperative that we move with speed and efficiency to build official support for SB2592. Your membership in the Coalition to Save ICHIP is invaluable to the protection of this essential public service.

Background Information on ICHIP

Download the ICHIP Fact Sheet for a summary of the current state of ICHIP and a brief description of the Coalition’s goals and recommendations.

Follow this link to download the full report A Look to the Future of the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (ICHIP).

Legislative Update

Thanks to the advocacy of The Coalition to Save ICHIP and Jewish Federation, in conjunction with the state insurance industry, full funding is expected to be restored to the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (ICHIP), a vital program that provides health benefits for people who cannot obtain health insurance due to pre-existing and/or chronic medical conditions.

The funding plan has won broad across-the-board support within the Illinois legislature, as well as Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s recommendation.

ICHIP was in real danger of being cancelled, because in two of the last three years, no General Revenue Funding was earmarked for ICHIP. This left the agency to operate on its limited reserves, premiums from participants, and money it receives from a special tax on the insurance industry. Initially, $7 million was earmarked by the state for fiscal year 2006 to keep ICHIP afloat. But the sum was only about one-third of the total amount needed to save the program, and ICHIP was approaching the bottom of its reserves.

Over the past few months, the Center has worked to build The Coalition to Save ICHIP, a group of major health and human service providers and advocacy groups that work with people who live with pre-existing and/or chronic medical conditions, genetic disorders and developmental disabilities. The coalition worked on legislation to save ICHIP and lobbied state officials and the state’s insurance industry to restore the funding.

Federation also submitted written testimony before both the state Senate and House appropriations committees, which generated numerous statements of legislative support for ICHIP. In addition, ICHIP funding was made a key advocacy issue for the upcoming Federation Government Affairs Program Springfield trip.

As a result of collaboration with the insurance industry and officials from ICHIP, the coalition and Federation have great hopes of achieving its purpose—preserving ICHIP's financial stability for the foreseeable future for all 6,000 participants across Illinois. Through the coalition’s advocacy work, insurance industry representatives went to the Governor’s Office seeking full funding for ICHIP in fiscal year 2007. As a result, $22.5 million was included in the state government budget introduced in February. The full budget, which includes funding for ICHIP, is expected to pass in early April.

The insurance industry also has affirmed that in future years it will be more diligent in tracking ICHIP’s appropriation and will step in again if necessary in order to keep the program fully funded. In addition, officials at ICHIP have committed to strengthening its disease management program, which was the second major objective of the coalition.

Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved in the Coalition to Save ICHIP!

For more information, contact the Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders at (312) 357-4718.

This page last updated on April 11, 2006.