Kelly Files Bill to Better Fund Immunizations, Mental Health Consultation Lines

CHICAGO — State Rep. Michael J. Kelly, D-Chicago, is working to expand access to important preventative health services like immunizations and mental health hotlines by introducing legislation to provide sustainable, cost-effective funding to connect people with precautionary care.

“Nonprofits and civic groups are working throughout our communities to connect people with the kind of care that not only helps our families stay healthy, but also reduces the overall cost of healthcare,” Kelly said. “Helping families more consistently achieve better health outcomes is something that benefits them as well as insurance companies, who end up having to pay fewer claims for expensive treatments when serious illnesses are prevented. This bill delivers expanded access to care for our families while also delivering cost savings to insurance companies.”

Kelly’s House Bill 4256 would create a Health Care Funding Association with the power to set and collect quarterly fees from insurance companies. The fees would be used to cover the cost of immunizations and mental health care information lines to make these resources more widely available across the state. The bill is based on a tried and true funding methodology that has delivered benefits across states like Alaska, Rhode Island, and Washington for more than 20 years.

• Patients gain enhanced and immediate access to vital health care services.
• Taxpayers save by reducing the cost of delivering vital public health services and programs.
• Insurance companies participate in an equitable approach to financing essential services delivered to their members at a fraction of the cost of traditional specialty and hospital care reimbursement rates (e.g., bulk vaccine purchase and distribution has saved ~20% annually).
• Immunization Programs deliver improved access to vaccines at no cost to health care providers and reduced costs to insurance companies.
• Mental Health Clinicians receive timely consultation and education from experts which they in turn deliver in real-time to their patients in need.

“Making sure that everyone has access to the basic preventative care they and their families need is an important priority if we’re going to keep Illinois moving forward,” Kelly said. “I’m looking forward to the process of getting this legislation passed into law.”