March 16, 2006

Public hearings to be held on Health Care Justice Act

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Public hearings on the development of a statewide comprehensive health care access plan will be held in April in two northern congressional districts and Collinsville.

10th Congressional District
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Deerfield – Caruso Middle School (Auditorium)
1801 Montgomery Road
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

8th Congressional District
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
McHenry – McHenry High School East (Teaching Theatre)
1012 North Green St .
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Additional Hearing
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Collinsville – Gateway Center (LaSalle Room)
1 Gateway Dr .
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The Health Care Justice Act, which was signed into law last year by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, created a 29-member Adequate Health Care Task Force and stipulated that public hearings be held in each of Illinois’ 19 congressional districts to seek public input on development of the access plan. State representatives and senators located in each of the congressional districts are invited to participate in the hearing and to help gather input from interested parties.

U.S. Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL) represents the 10th Congressional District and U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL) represents the 8th Congressional District.

At the hearings, the public can provide testimony regarding access to, and quality and affordability of health care. Each individual has three minutes to testify and will speak in the order in which they sign up.

Those who wish to submit written testimony may do so in three ways:

1. By mail – Send written testimony (typed, double-spaced, 8.5” x 11” paper) to Tracy Morgan, Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Health Policy, 525 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62761.
   
2. In-person – Bring two copies of your written testimony (typed, double-spaced, 8.5” x 11” paper) to the public hearing and present it to staff signing up those who wish to testify.
   
3. Electronically – E-mail your written testimony (as an attachment) to Tracy Morgan, Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Health Policy at tmorgan@idph.state.il.us.

The task force’s plan, which is due to the General Assembly in 2006, must provide all Illinois residents with access to a full-range of preventive, acute and long-term health care services.

More information about the Health Care Justice Act can be found at http://www.idph.state.il.us/hcja/index.html.