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Thank you Georgia and Nevada!

Were it not for these two states, Illinois would rank dead last in the country in average spending per Medicaid enrollee – for kids, senior citizens, and people with disabilities or mental illnesses.

Illinois ranks 49th in the country in average spending per Medicaid enrollee among the 50 states and District of Columbia – substantially lower than every surrounding state in the Midwest and lower than other large states like California, New York, Texas and Florida.

But imposing $810 million in hospital Medicaid cuts as proposed in the FY2016 state budget will only help Illinois hit rock bottom.

40 percent of Illinois hospitals are already operating in the red – in every region of the State.

Drastic Medicaid cuts will decimate access to health care in urban and rural communities across Illinois.

Drastic Medicaid cuts will mean reductions and elimination of services for everyone, longer waits in the ER, higher health care costs for working families and businesses, lost jobs and lost economic activity.

Cutting Medicaid in the FY2016 budget is shortsighted and will result in real harm to people and communities.

For more information, go to www.TransformingIllinoisHealthCare.org.