We applaud Governor J.B. Pritzker’s efforts to address health care reform, as outlined in his recent State of the State address. The governor vowed to tighten the way payers conduct “utilization reviews,” the process by which insurance companies determine whether a medical service is covered by health insurance. The governor also promises to ban step therapy, another obstacle patients must endure until insurance companies decide whether to allow the treatment recommended by doctors. As the governor said, medical decisions should be made by doctors and patients, not by insurance companies.
It’s time to hold these payers accountable. No more ghosting his network misleading patients about available doctors within their insurance network. And no longer will bureaucrats put patients and doctors at risk by making medical decisions or delaying treatment.
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It is welcome news that this effort, which the doctors of the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) have been fighting for for years, has the full support of the Governor’s Office. The Prior Authorization Reform Act (2021) and the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act (2017) both provide legislation to improve access to the patient care and physicians that Illinoisans need and deserve in their communities. , was a legislative initiative supported by ISMS.
We are committed to the Governor and the State of Illinois to ensure that the people of Illinois have access to quality health care and to reduce the administrative burden on physicians so they can spend more time providing patient care. I look forward to working with the members of the General Assembly.
Rodney S. Alford, President of the Illinois State Medical Association
city-state must get Ownership of new facilities
If the wealthy owner of the Bears, White Sox, or any other team wants to funnel tax dollars into a new facility (or related infrastructure) through government funding, the city or state will receive a corresponding ownership stake in the team in return. You should receive it. Thanks to you, we have provided more than enough unconditional benefits to millionaires and billionaires over the years. Typically, such public visits are premised on fanciful projections of economic activity and tax revenues, which never materialize at the promised levels.
When car companies received billions of dollars in bailouts during the Great Recession, the federal government insisted on taking ownership of the companies, and when those shares were eventually sold, taxpayers benefited. Ta. When eye-popping amounts of public money flow to private interests, this practice should be the rule, not the exception.
Jason Ricciti, Lincoln Square
Chicago residents shouldn’t be put off by the lack of housing.
Before Chicago’s 2022 immigration surge, there were more than 68,000 people without a permanent address living on the streets or in shelters, according to a report by the Chicago Homeless Coalition.
I commend the city of Chicago for supporting immigrants by laying down carpets and providing basic necessities.
My only complaint is why didn’t we give the same benefits to over 68,000 of our own citizens?
The level of assistance we are currently providing to thousands of homeless people flocking across our borders.
If Chicago was truly a sanctuary city, its homeless citizens should have been given the same necessities of life.
John Revaich, Oak Lawn
