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Telehealth Saves Lives: Read One Man’s Story
Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Jack Crowe felt a little something in his neck. When symptoms of a chest cold followed, Crowe and his wife left their cabin in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and started driving home to Chicago. Was it COVID-19? Crowe made a telehealth appointment with Rush University Medical Center to find out. Still far from home, Crowe told an ABC News affiliate, he was connected to a virtual care provider in five minutes. That provider, nurse practitioner Nicole Marks, told the ABC affiliate that Crowe’s chest pain and shortness of breath were “red flags.” Crowe needed to be seen by a doctor immediately. Taking Marks’ advice, Crowe sought emergency care at a Wisconsin hospital. There, he was diagnosed with aortic dissection, a rare and serious condition of a tear in the main artery that carries blood from the heart. “I went against my own instincts, which was to keep driving to Chicago another four hours. And if I had done that, I would have died,” said Crowe, who underwent emergency open-heart surgery. The lifesaving care Crowe received is just one example of the urgent need to pass House Bill 3498 in the Senate and make telehealth coverage and payment permanent. Visit https://protectillinoistelehealth.org/ to learn more.
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Springfield: Restricting PBM Tools Will Raise Costs for Consumers, Employers + the State
Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Employers in Illinois provide prescription drug coverage for nearly 6.7 million Illinoisans. In order to help keep care more affordable, employers work with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who deploy a variety of tools to reduce prescription drug costs and help improve health outcomes. In addition to helping employers, PBMs also work with the Illinois Medicaid program in the same way to help control costs. Over the last five years, PBMs have saved the state and taxpayers nearly $340 million. Today, Illinois faces a multibillion budget shortfall as more Illinoisans are relying on Medicaid to help meet their health care coverage needs. As legislators work to address these challenges, one way to help ensure continued cost savings is by strengthening the PBM tools that the State and employers use, which are poised to save employers, consumers and the State $39 billion over the next 10 years. These are meaningful savings that will help continue to contain costs, ensure consumer access to medicines and drive savings in public health programs. Amid a pandemic and economic challenges, now is the time to strengthen, not limit, the tools that employers, consumers and the State rely on to manage costs and ensure consumers can access the medicines they need.
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Coalition To Protect Telehealth Supports House Bill 3498
Monday, May 10, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A coalition of 35 diverse organizations has come together with a common goal: to modernize healthcare and empower patients. To achieve this goal, The Coalition to Protect Telehealth—which includes Illinois healthcare providers, professionals and patient advocates—is united behind patient-centered virtual care that’s high-quality, accessible and safe. The pandemic brought the coalition together, as it brought the need for telehealth to the forefront. Coalition members include:
• American Academy of Pediatrics, Illinois Chapter; • American Nurses Association, Illinois; • Community Behavioral Healthcare Association; • Heartland Alliance; • Illinois Association for Behavioral Health; • Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network; • Illinois Primary Health Care Association; • National Multiple Sclerosis Society; and • The Kennedy Forum. The Coalition to Protect Telehealth strongly supports House Bill 3498 and urges Senators to vote “YES” on bill. This legislation advances health equity by allowing patients to be treated via telehealth in their home, prohibiting geographic or facility restrictions on telehealth services, and reimbursing telehealth services at the same rate as in-person care. Learn how permanent telehealth coverage will continue to provide Illinoisans’ access to quality, appropriate care. Visit https://protectillinoistelehealth.org/ for a complete listing of coalition members.
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Path To 100 Act Saves Consumers $1.2 Billion
Friday, May 7, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Lower Energy Costs for All Illinois Consumers • A study by former Illinois Power Agency (IPA) director shows that passing Path to 100 (HB 2640 / SB 1601) will lower energy costs for all ratepayers • Consumers save more than $1.2 Billion over ten years by fully funding Illinois’ renewable energy program to 40% by 2031 • Path to 100 would create 53,000 new construction jobs 1. Wind and solar generators have zero fuel costs, so they win wholesale energy auctions and displace more expensive power plants. These savings are passed on to all consumers. 2. Rooftop and community solar reduce peak demand, which reduces the amount of capacity that grid operators need to buy. These savings are passed on to all consumers. 3. Rooftop and community solar customers receive direct savings on their bills. Read the study and take action at www.Pathto100.net
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House Bill 3498 Protects Access To Mental Health Care
Friday, May 7, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Milani Varela’s twice-a-week routine of attending individual and group therapy transitioned to telehealth sessions over Zoom during the pandemic. Telehealth services have meant Varela, of Chicago, and others could continue their care at a time when mental health has worsened. House Bill 3498 will ensure access to telehealth services after the pandemic. The Coalition to Protect Telehealth urges senators to pass this bipartisan legislation to reduce access barriers and improve patient outcomes. During the pandemic, four in 10 American adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. Between January and June 2019, one in 10 adults reported these symptoms, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. “For some people, I find that because of specific mental health issues, like depression, they really can’t get out of bed to actually go to therapy,” Varela said. “I see people that would not be in the group therapy because they couldn’t travel.” Among millennials, 48% prefer seeing a doctor virtually, according to a Harmony Healthcare IT survey. “When it comes to therapy, I feel it’s a little easier to do it through Zoom,” said Varela, 33. “I would love to keep it that way.” Learn more about the benefits of telehealth at https://protectillinoistelehealth.org/.
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