Can Medicaid escape Republican Congressional cuts?
Emergency room sign outside of OSF Healthcare in Urbana. Reginald Hardwick/IPM News
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1 in 4 Illinoisans rely on Medicaid, the federally- and state-funded government program that provides health insurance for individuals who are low-income or have disabilities. It's impact can be felt across all health situations: 2 out of 3 nursing home residents are covered... 1 of 3 people with disabilities are covered... Almost 40 percent of births in Illinois are covered by Medicaid. But that might soon change, depending on how Republicans in Congress approach the upcoming spending bill. In Illinois, it's sounded the alarm on who might be impacted if cuts to Medicaid pull through.
Guest:
Judy Crown
Reporter, Crain's Chicago Business
Wesley Epplin
Policy Director, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group
Nadeen Israel
Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, AIDS Foundation Chicago