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Interchange Fee Prohibition Act Complicates Everyday Purchases
Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois consumers deserve simple, secure, and convenient payments — but the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act threatens to make everyday purchases more complicated and costly. According to The Points Guy, today’s card system works because interchange fees help “safeguard the purchase, fight fraud, cover the cost of lending, and fund rewards programs.” But the new law would prohibit interchange on taxes and tips — forcing businesses to overhaul how transactions are processed. The result? Confusion and inconvenience at checkout. The article warns that a single purchase could become a multi-step process, with consumers potentially asked to split payments between cards, cash, or even checks just to cover taxes or gratuities. Even worse, history shows consumers rarely benefit from policies like this. After federal debit reforms, only 1.2% of merchants lowered prices — meaning savings didn’t reach shoppers. Instead of helping families, the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act risks weakening payment security, reducing rewards, and adding friction to a system that works today. Consumers deserve reliable, seamless payments — not uncertainty at the register. Protect convenience. Protect security. Protect consumers. Read more from the Points Guy. Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League
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Big Tax-Exempt Hospitals Are Turning Patient Discounts Into Corporate Profits
Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Across Illinois, large hospital systems and corporate PBMs are profiting from a program meant to help patients. The 340B program allows hospitals to buy medications at steep discounts, but those savings aren’t passed on to patients in need. Instead, large hospitals charge patients full price for 340B-discounted drugs, keep the difference, and share the cash with for-profit chain pharmacies and PBMs.
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Drug Costs Are Rising: 340B Legislation Helps Lower Costs, Strengthen Communities
Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Nearly 40% of Illinois residents get their health coverage through Medicaid and Medicare. Yet, government providers do not cover the full cost of care. For Medicare, Illinois hospitals are reimbursed 88 cents on the dollar, while it’s 66 cents per dollar for Medicaid. All Illinois hospitals provide the same high-quality, lifesaving care to their patients, regardless of whether their insurance covers the cost. Just as everyday Americans are pinched by higher prices, from housing to groceries, hospitals too are confronting real financial challenges. Between 2022 and 2025, hospitals in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio experienced:
• 16% increase in non-labor expenses • 19% increase in supply costs • 22% increase in drug costs • 31% increase in purchased services Meanwhile, drugmakers plan to raise the U.S. prices of at least 350 branded medications this year, about 100 more than in 2025. They only plan to lower the prices of nine drugs. Last spring, the Senate unanimously passed House Bill 2371 to protect the over 30-year-old federal 340B drug discount program. HB 2371 does not ask drugmakers to do anything new, but to do their part in lowering drug costs for hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that serve many low-income patients. HB 2371 would simply restore the 340B program in Illinois, as intended in federal law. Stand with hospitals, FQHCs and their patients: Pass HB 2371. Learn more.
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