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It’s Time To Finally Hold Utilities Accountable
Wednesday, Apr 21, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Bribery, corruption, and formula rates have decimated public trust in utility regulation. Instead of passing another rate hike, let’s pass a comprehensive clean energy bill. Illinois’ legislature has an opportunity to finally hold utilities accountable, while addressing the climate crisis, creating thousands of equitable clean energy jobs, and lowering electric bills all at the same time. The Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) is the only energy bill that installs an independent monitor in the headquarters of ComEd and Ameren. CEJA also refunds customers for ComEd’s violations and creates a new Accountability Division at the Illinois Commerce Commission to protect residents against future offenses. You can read the full list of CEJA’s accountability measures here. As we get closer to May 31st, profit-hungry utilities are getting more aggressive. Missouri-based Ameren spent more than $40,000 on Facebook ads alone in just the last few weeks as they try to pass a bill that would drastically increase electric formula rates and expand them to gas customers. We have just five weeks left to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Let’s get it done.
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Coalition To Protect Telehealth Supports House Bill 3498
Tuesday, Apr 20, 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, which was introduced by State Rep. Deb Conroy and has 46 bipartisan co-sponsors. This bill 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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Springfield: Restricting PBM Tools Will Raise Costs for Consumers, Employers + the State
Tuesday, Apr 20, 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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It’s Time To Finally Hold Utilities Accountable
Tuesday, Apr 20, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Bribery, corruption, and formula rates have decimated public trust in utility regulation. Instead of passing another rate hike, let’s pass a comprehensive clean energy bill. Illinois’ legislature has an opportunity to finally hold utilities accountable, while addressing the climate crisis, creating thousands of equitable clean energy jobs, and lowering electric bills all at the same time. The Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) is the only energy bill that installs an independent monitor in the headquarters of ComEd and Ameren. CEJA also refunds customers for ComEd’s violations and creates a new Accountability Division at the Illinois Commerce Commission to protect residents against future offenses. You can read the full list of CEJA’s accountability measures here. As we get closer to May 31st, profit-hungry utilities are getting more aggressive. Missouri-based Ameren spent more than $40,000 on Facebook ads alone in just the last few weeks as they try to pass a bill that would drastically increase electric formula rates and expand them to gas customers. We have just five weeks left to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Let’s get it done.
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*** LIVE COVERAGE ***
Tuesday, Apr 20, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller * Today’s post is sponsored by Climate Jobs Illinois. Follow along with ScribbleLive…
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Telehealth Provides Access To Healthcare – Support HB 3498
Friday, Apr 16, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Visiting a healthcare professional can be consequential: Cancer is diagnosed, patients are supported as they manage chronic conditions, and services and treatment are delivered to support mental health. During the pandemic, accessing healthcare in person was difficult, especially early on when non-emergent care was put on hold. Telehealth saved the day, offering a safe option for Illinoisans to continue needed care. A recent editorial in the Chicago Tribune identified telehealth as one of a handful of pandemic-related changes that caused “the public and elected officials to reconsider some of the laws and regulations that had long been taken for granted.” Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers all began fairly reimbursing healthcare professionals for telehealth visits—recognition of telehealth’s integral role in healthcare. The editorial says, “Virtual consultations and treatment have expanded options for both medical professionals and patients. They have been shown to work well, saving patients time and travel expenses…. Once the pandemic has subsided, there is every reason that telehealth should be expanded and retained as a way to deliver care and counseling.” The Coalition to Protect Telehealth couldn’t agree more. Learn how permanent telehealth coverage will continue to provide Illinoisans’ access to quality, appropriate care. Visits https://protectillinoistelehealth.org/ and support House Bill 3498 to protect access to telehealth.
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Credit Unions: A Unique Concept For Financial Services
Friday, Apr 16, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] 
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Illinois’ Clean Energy Boom Has Been Waitlisted – Jobs Are At Risk
Friday, Apr 16, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] 4,000 Illinois homeowners and businesses tried to go solar this year – instead, they got waitlisted. A map of the waitlisted projects in each legislative district is here. Illinois approved more than 25,000 new wind and solar projects in a few years before the state’s program went over the funding cliff in 2020. Now thousands of Illinois residents and businesses are lined up to invest in renewable energy, but our state policy has put everything on hold. The Illinois Power Agency ran out of funding to approve new renewable energy projects in December. With state incentives in limbo, many solar businesses across the state haven’t sold a new system all year. That puts thousands of jobs at risk unless we pass legislation to fix this. Customers are ready to invest, solar installers are desperate to get to work and our clean energy goals are slipping further out of reach. The General Assembly needs to act before it’s too late. Take action at www.pathto100.net 
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A Fair Map Prioritizes Voting Rights And Public Input
Friday, Apr 16, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Representative democracy works best when people actively engage in policy discussions and elections, ensuring that communities of color, long disenfranchised, are prioritized. Historically, Illinois’ redistricting process favors incumbents and is dominated by partisan, rather than community, objectives. In 2021, we can create a fair map for Illinoisans that puts their interests first with a process that:
● Requires fairness standards that prioritize people of color through the Federal Voting Rights Act, the Illinois Voting Rights Act, and communities of interest ● Allows for the public to weigh in on a map proposal through a public hearing and responses to suggestions before a final vote ● Is transparent, with a centralized website including all remap records and discussions, and a compliance report detailing how the map meets these standards https://www.changeil.org/policy-priorities/redistricting-reform/
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*** LIVE COVERAGE ***
Friday, Apr 16, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller * Today’s post is sponsored by Climate Jobs Illinois. Follow along with ScribbleLive…
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