Action Alert: Protect Consumers from Unregulated Health Plans - Health & Medicine Policy Research Group

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Action Alert: Protect Consumers from Unregulated Health Plans

May 2, 2018

Protect Our Care Illinois–of which Health & Medicine is a member–urges you to take action today to stop junk insurance. We are calling on the General Assembly to pass the Short-Term, Limited Duration Health Insurance Coverage Act, SB2388 SFA1 to protect consumers from these unregulated health plans that don’t meet ACA standards!

Short-term plans are junk coverage that leave those who get sick with big medical bills. These health plans are the “wild west” of insurance in Illinois: between their lack of regulation and questionable marketing practices, they put Illinoisans at long-term risk for poor health and massive debt. Check out this story in the LA Times about the IL bill and how short term plans use fine print exclusions to avoid paying for just about everything.

SB 2388 SFA 1 protects consumers against these unruly plans by requiring them to be regulated like all other individual insurance plans sold in IL, to clean up questionable marketing practices, and to protect against exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

If Illinois lawmakers do not pass SB 2388 SFA 1, pending federal regulations could result in an expansion of short-term plans, which puts access to high-quality, affordable health insurance at risk for millions. The bill could be heard in committee in the Senate as early as Tuesday and could go to the Senate floor for a vote soon thereafter.

We only have 48 hours to stop junk insurance in Illinois. Call your state senator TODAY at 312-471-0261 and tell them to vote YES on SB 2388, SF1!

Check out this campaign toolkit for fact sheets, social media graphics and posts, talking points and other resources to spread the word about this bill, and join in on the conversation using #ProtectOurCare & #SaveACA.