Mar 4, 2007 5:32 pm US/Central
Health Insurance for Millions of Uninsured
Illinois Covered Will Offer Affordable Insurance to Middle Class Families
by Joanie Lum
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Governor Rod Blagojevich says there are more than a million people in Illinois without health insurance. Sunday, he unveiled a plan to make sure everyone gets the care they need.
CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports on the measure.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced the plan on the steps of the Fourth Presbyterian Church downtown. It's called "Illinois Covered" and will offer affordable insurance to the state's 1.4 million uninsured adults.
"We will provide assistance to middle class families who are having a hard time getting, affording and keeping health care," said Blagojevich.
Hairstylist Mary Mannino is one of those million adults.
"I was on my mom's insurance," she said. "When I graduated cosmetology school, I was dropped. It's difficult to find a salon that offers insurance."
Some families have such high deductibles, they can't afford to see a doctor.
"I ended up with walking pneumonia, you can't go to the doctor unless you're so sick," said under-insured Virginia Klangedis.
"Illinois Covered" would subsidize her payments.
"We have an agenda that focuses on 9.7 million who have insurance, but their premiums are too high," said Blagojevich. "They can't access their insurance because their deductibles are too high."
But the governor would not say how the state would pay for the insurance. Taking no questions, Blagojevich turned, shook the hands of supporters and went inside the church.
The governor's spokesperson says employers that don't provide health insurance would have to pay a state fee. That would cover part of the cost of this health insurance plan.
Blagojevich says he'll give more details in a speech to the General Assembly on Wednesday.
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