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The Illinois Hospital Association urges the General Assembly to increase the cigarette tax by $1 per pack. Here’s why.

Increasing the cigarette tax will generate more than $750 million in new revenue for the Medicaid program – preventing draconian cuts that will harm patients and communities.

It will save millions of dollars in spending by the Medicaid program. Smoking-related illnesses cost the Illinois Medicaid program about $1.8 billion each year. The proposed tax increase will save Medicaid $50 million in the first year, with savings continuing to grow over time.

The Illinois Hospital Association has real, workable alternatives to address the state’s Medicaid challenges, including many that will generate substantial savings and cost reductions. But meeting those challenges can’t be accomplished just through reductions and savings – additional sources of revenue are needed.

Raising the cigarette tax will save lives – an estimated 77,600 fewer teens in Illinois will become addicted adult smokers, and 59,400 adults will quit smoking.

For the health of Illinoisans, IHA is part of a statewide coalition that strongly supports raising the cigarette tax. It’s the right thing to do. No butts about it.