Durbin urges ACA signup as deadline nears

Dec. 11--U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin urged Illinoisans Sunday seeking health insurance under the Affordable Care Act to take action before Friday's deadline.

Durbin spoke to reporters while visiting Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at 1118 Legacy Pointe Drive in Springfield.

The center is affiliated with Hospital Sisters Health System, parent company of St. John's Hospital.

Durbin said the Trump administration has tried to undermine the Affordable Care Act by cutting the enrollment period in half, scrapping advertising for the program and suspending federal cost-sharing subsidies for some enrollees.

Republicans say the Obama administration usurped the authority of Congress by paying the subsidies.

About 350,000 people in Illinois purchase their health insurance on the individual market. People can call (866) 311-1119 or go online to healthcare.gov.

Kim Luz, division director of Community Outreach for HSHS St. John's Hospital, said St. John's has helped 1,028 people sign up for the marketplace.

She encouraged people in need of insurance to sign up because it makes it easier to seek preventative health care and treat chronic conditions.

"Don't miss this opportunity," Durbin said.

Also Sunday, Durbin was critical of a sweeping tax plan backed by Republicans and urged Congress to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program.

The recent tax bill passed in the Senate would repeal the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate, which Durbin said could result in an estimated 13 million more people without insurance within 10 years.

Scrapping the mandate, Durbin said, would mean younger, healthier people would opt out of buying insurance, which in turn would drive up premiums for older enrollees.

Republicans senators though say eliminating the mandate will reduce the tax burden on middle- and lower-income Americans.

The Congressional Budget Office also says eliminating the mandate would save $338 billion -- money that could be used to reduce the tax bill's overall impact on the deficit.

The House version of tax reform did not include eliminating the mandate.

"For those who have to pay out of pocket that decision in the tax bill will mean more costly premiums," Durbin said.

Funding for the children's health insurance program expired on Oct. 1. The program ensures 9 million children nationwide have access to health care, including 300,000 children in Illinois, Durbin said.

The federal program is aimed at children whose parents earn too much for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance.

Charles Lucore, president and CEO of HSHS St. John's Hospital, joined Durbin on Sunday in urging Congress to fund the program.

"It's very important for the kids of Illinois, in terms of access to care, and children's hospitals of Illinois, especially HSHS Children's Hospital, to provide affordable care of high quality to our kids," Lucore said.

Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the lead author of the Senate Republican tax plan, has said the federal government no longer has the money to fund the $8 billion program.

-- Contact Jason Nevel: 788-1521, [email protected], twitter.com/JasonNevelSJR.

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