Health groups urge Rauner to fight Obamacare repeal

Dec. 15--More than 100 Illinois health care advocacy groups, medical providers and social service organizations are urging Gov. Bruce Rauner to tell Congress that proposed changes to Obamacare and Medicaid could result in "grave harm to our communities and the financial well-being of the state."

The groups sent Rauner a letter Thursday outlining their concerns and imploring him to pass them on to Congress.

In coming weeks, Congress is expected to pass a bill rolling back parts of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. It's unclear, however, whether congressional Republicans will have a replacement for the law ready to go right away. Many believe they'll more likely delay the effects of the rollbacks for a year or two while they work on a replacement.

Congress also likely will consider, as part of those changes, erasing the part of the law that allowed expansion of Medicaid -- an insurance program for the poor -- in Illinois and many other states. Congress also may consider President-elect Donald Trump's proposal to fund Medicaid through block grants to states.

In their letter, the groups told Rauner he must oppose such efforts for the good of the state. About 645,000 Illinoisans have benefited from Medicaid expansion, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

"These individuals and families can now address their health care needs without fear of financial ruin," the letter said.

A Rauner spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday morning.

Medicaid expansion also has helped Illinois hospitals by reducing the numbers of uninsured people they have to treat for free, according to the letter.

It was a point Dr. Jay Shannon, CEO of Cook County Health and Hospitals System, also emphasized at an event Thursday with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Illinois Health and Hospital Association President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi about the same topic. The event, the letter and a push by the organizations to inundate Rauner on Friday with calls about the issue are all part of a the national "Week of Action to Protect Our Care," by Families USA, a health care consumer advocacy group.

"It's brought in substantial dollars that have helped stabilize our health system," Shannon said of Medicaid expansion. Before the Affordable Care Act, in 2011, about 42 percent of patients at Cook County Health and Hospitals System were insured -- a figure that's now risen to 67 percent, he said.

He said hospital systems across the country have had similar experiences.

Roberta Rakove, a senior vice president at Sinai Health System, said Medicaid expansion has allowed Mount Sinai and Holy Cross hospitals to offer more, sorely needed behavioral health services on Chicago's Southwest Side.

"We don't know what would happen to that if Medicaid expansion went away," Rakove said. "That would be a tragedy."

The letter and speakers at the event also railed against funding Medicaid through block grants to the states.

Proponents of block-granting Medicaid funding say doing so will give states more flexibility to meet their residents' health needs without federal overhead.

But opponents of block grant Medicaid funding say it would mean less money for states.

"The first thing it is, is a cut, and a huge cut," said Carrie Chapman, with the Chicago-based Legal Council for Health Justice.

The groups argue in the letter that the loss of funding would hurt Illinois and outweigh any advantages that could come from increased flexibility. The Illinois Health and Hospital Association also recently has sent a letter to all the members of Illinois' congressional delegation asking that any changes to Obamacare or Medicaid preserve coverage and access to care for patients.

Durbin said at the event Thursday he expects Congress to act in the next few weeks.

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