* From the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition…

IBIC applauds Governor Bruce Rauner, Speaker Michael Madigan, bill sponsor Representative Lisa Hernandez, deputy House Minority Leader Patricia Bellock, committee chair Representative Greg Harris, and the strong bipartisanship support demonstrated by the Illinois House committee today to support Covering All Kids HB 5736. In a 15 to 2 vote: with 11 Democrats and 4 Republicans voted in support, Illinois legislators upheld a bipartisan commitment made 11 years ago to treat all children equally and that all kids should have access to health coverage regardless of their immigration status. HB 5736 will next be voted by the full House of Representatives.

“Covering All Kids works” said WILLIAM KUNKLER III, Co-Chairman of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, “Not only is this program good for Illinois and our economy - it is politically smart for Illinois Republicans.”

“Illinois has the second highest health coverage rates for Latino children in the nation - 95.5% because of All Kids,” said RAUL RAYMUNDO, CEO of the Resurrection Project, “Today, Democrats and Republicans reaffirmed their commitment to health care as basic human right, an essential safeguard of human dignity.”

“I give my full-throated support to HB 5736 Covering All Kids. As House Minority leader, I worked closely with Democrats to pass Covering All Kids with unanimous bipartisan support 107 to nothing,” said TOM CROSS, Illinois House minority leader (2002-2013), “The bi-partisan commitment in Illinois, guided by a clear moral imperative, to ensure that every child in the state has access to a healthy life is something Republicans and Democrats should absolutely take pride in, and continue to uphold.”

The Covering All Kids Health Insurance Act covers an estimated 41,000 children from working poor families regardless of their immigration status. The program is the result of a bi-partisan policy decision made in Illinois a decade ago and renewed consistently by Democrat and Republican Governors since then, that in Illinois all children are treated equally and have access to health coverage. The Covering All Kids Act ensures that every child has a relationship with a doctor, receives preventive care, early diagnosis and treatment, and the best health outcomes. Under current law, The Covering All Kids Act sunsets July 1, 2016. HB5736 extends the program to October 1, 2019.

COVERING ALL KIDS WORKS

· Covering All Kids has resulted in Illinois having the second highest rate of health coverage for Latino children in the nation – 95.5%
· Covering All Kids has resulted in Illinois having one of the highest rates of health coverage for ALL children in the nation - 96.7%
· Covering All Kids generates an enhanced Federal match: the program draws down over $40 million annual federal match that reduces the already modest state cost
· In 2006, Covering All Kids was passed with a unanimous bi-partisan vote of 107 to nothing in the IL House, and has since enjoyed the support of both Democratic and Republican Governors
· Substantial federal matching funds will be lost or at risk, and children from working poor families, including immigrant children, will lose health coverage on July 1, if Illinois does not continue “Covering All Kids”