SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is working to provide her community with better, more focused health care by setting limits on the number of patients nurses are assigned simultaneously.

“Our nurses are often tasked with enormous workloads, posing an unnecessary challenge to our medical community and reducing the quality of care they are able to provide,” Pappas said. “I’m committed to building a stronger Illinois with a better health care system, and that begins with allowing nurses to focus on their patients.”

Pappas is backing House Bill 2604, or the Safe Patients Limits Act, which limits the patient assignments to a maximum of four in most situations, although special circumstances can change that. The National Campaign for Safe RN-to-Patient Staffing Ratios states that staffing requirements like those included in the bill increase the quality of health care hospitals can provide, lower overall costs and even save lives. The Illinois Nurses Association is a strong supporter of the bill.

“A better nurse-to-patient ratio will increase the quality of health care patients receive, while giving a break to the dedicated nurses who already work so hard,” Pappas said. “This legislation will create a more fair work environment and benefit all Illinoisans who need focused, rapid medical attention.”

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is inviting local residents to attend her Women’s Legislative Advisory Panel on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Bloomingdale Library, located at 101 E. Fairfield Way in Bloomingdale.

“Conducting panels like this is crucial because it allows for an open forum for constituents to discuss important issues that specifically impact women in our community,” Pappas said. “Women’s issues impact everyone, and it is important that we work to find clear solutions to the challenges that women face every day, such as pay inequity and high child care costs.”

Pappas is hosting her Women’s Legislative Advisory Panel to discuss important issues including health care, education and economic development. Pappas will answer questions and will brainstorm with the attendees on the best ways to address these important issues, including potential new legislation. Her event is free and open to the public.

“Every person views the issues facing our state differently. For me to be the most effective at representing our district, I want to meet with residents to hear their perspectives on problems and potential solutions,” Pappas said. “By working together and listening to each other, we can build a stronger Illinois.”

For more information on this event, please contact Pappas’s office at 217-782-4014 or email RepDPappas@gmail.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new law backed by state Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, will manage spikes in prescription drug costs and rein in pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to skyrocket costs.

“When members of our community go to the pharmacy to pick up the critical medicines they need to function, they are paying far-too-high a cost,” Pappas said. “Pharmaceutical companies’ non-stop pursuit of profits has come at the expense of working and middle-class families, and it has to end.”

Pappas helped pass House Bill 465, which will curb skyrocketing prescription drug prices by creating comprehensive regulations for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), including requirements that they inform customers of cheaper prescription alternatives, comply with oversight from the Department of Insurance and pay fines of up to $50,000 for violating the Illinois Administrative Code in their bookkeeping procedures. The new law also protects the rights of patients in the emergency room by prohibiting any insurer from denying coverage until the patient is considered stable. Combined, these measures should help substantially lower the cost of health care in Illinois.

As the middlemen between drug manufacturers and pharmacies, PBMs set drug prices on behalf of insurance companies. Until now, they have operated with virtually no oversight even though they manage public money through Medicaid, as well as managing prescription programs for private insurance and self-insured plans.

“I’m committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the medical aid they need,” Pappas said. “Not only is reliable health care the foundation of a stable life, it’s the foundation of a growing economy. We are working to create good-paying jobs, but those jobs won’t help our economy thrive if people are too busy battling chronic health problems to work.”

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is promoting a statewide video campaign by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), which will bring awareness to their new Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances.

“Illinois needs new, comprehensive solutions to combat the increasing problem of opioid abuse, and this helpline will provide guidance to the countless people struggling with addiction,” Pappas said. “Supporting the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances is one of many steps I plan to take to assist Illinoisans working through opioid and other substance abuse.”

Pappas is highlighting IDHS’s new statewide video campaign to promote the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances. The helpline connects individuals struggling with opioid or other substance abuse problems, and anyone affected by the disease, directly with treatment and recovery options. Videos feature individuals who share their stories of recovery and organizations from across the state who are providing treatment and recovery services for opioid and other substance use disorders.

This year, Pappas supported stronger penalties for heroin and fentanyl dealers, and worked for greater oversight on prescription medications. Pappas also backed House Resolution 58, which calls on the Illinois Department of Public Health to take further steps to reduce the over-prescription of addictive medications.

“There are numerous potential solutions to this epidemic, and a hotline will help connect those in need with recovery and treatment options,” Pappas said. “There is no one clear path to healing and recovery for those suffering from opioid other substance use, so I will continue to work to provide more options for people dealing with these problems.”

If you or someone you know is suffering from an opioid or other substance use disorder, call the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances at 1-833-2FINDHELP or visit HelplineIL.org.

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – A new law backed by state Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, will streamline and simplify the prescription filling process, cutting down on wait times for lifesaving medications.

“The red tape put in place by big insurance companies prevents pharmacists from ordering medications and adds huge wait times for people who need critical treatments,” Pappas said. “Too many companies in the health care industry are concerned with profits more than patients. I am working to give our community a system that is fast and reasonably priced, not one plugged up with pointless paperwork designed to serve corporations.”

Pappas voted to pass House Bill 2160, which requires the Department of Insurance (DOI) and the Department of Health and Family Services (HFS) to develop simple, uniform authorization forms for prescription drugs for providers and insurers to use. There are currently numerous unique authorization forms necessary for every specific insurer; the new law combines those forms into one for commercial insurers and one for managed care organizations. The bill received strong bipartisan support, and is now law.

“Our community deserves a stronger Illinois with affordable medical care for everyone,” Pappas said. “This law will cut costs while speeding up the important prescription-filling process. While there is still more work to be done, this is a step in the right direction.”

 

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is working to create more opportunities in higher education by helping families save for college through the Illinois Higher Education Saving Program.

“For many children, the price of higher education, if they are able to afford it at all, is decades of student loan debt,” Pappas said. “I’m working hard to build a stronger Illinois with a thriving economy, and education is a big part of that. We need to focus on making schooling more affordable to train people for high-wage jobs, not creating a generation of young adults saddled with debt or unable to seek higher education at all.”

Pappas passed House Bill 2237 to establish the Illinois Higher Education Saving Program. This program will facilitate saving for college for all children born after December 31, 2020 by opening an omnibus account to hold all contributions for higher education savings, all interest earned on those contributions and $50 in seed money for each participating child. All children born to parents who are residents of Illinois are eligible for the program. The bill was signed into law at the end of August.

“This law will provide countless Illinois students with the chance to take the next steps in their schooling and in their careers,” Pappas said. “When you give someone the opportunity for an education, you give them the tools to succeed, which is something every kid in our state deserves.”

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is promoting property tax exemption opportunities available to some seniors living in Cook County.

“Right now, thousands of Cook County seniors are eligible for the significant property tax relief that they deserve,” Pappas said. “Illinois’ skyrocketing property taxes place unfair strain on homeowners, especially seniors on a fixed income, and I don’t want anyone to miss out on this opportunity.”

Thousands of eligible seniors did not receive their Senior Citizen Homestead Property Tax Exemption or Senior Citizen Property Tax Freeze, two programs which could drastically reduce property tax costs for senior citizens. Seniors interested in this program can visit CookCountyTreasurer.com, click “Your Property Tax Overview” and search using their address, or call the Cook County Treasurer’s Office at 312-443-5100.

“Every senior in Cook County who feels they may have missed this opportunity should make sure to take advantage now,” Pappas said. “I’m committed to building a stronger Illinois for everybody. That doesn’t only mean pushing for programs to create a better future, but promoting opportunities for a fairer present.”

Anyone who needs help navigating the process can also contact Pappas’s office at 224-520-8838 or RepDPappas@gmail.com.

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is helping expand access to higher education by promoting “College Changes Everything Month”, an initiative of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to provide free financial aid and application assistance for college.

“We need to do all we can to expand opportunities for our kids to go to college,” Pappas said. “Higher education not only helps people learn how to think and build new skills, it opens up new career paths that can change the course of their lives. I’m grateful to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s work to provide these resources to families who are in-need.”

Pappas is backing the ISAC program to help extend support to students and families who need financial resources to pay for higher education costs. For the last four years, free college resources-including college applications, financial aid forms and information on scholarships-have been available during October, ISAC’s “College Changes Everything” month.

“Building a stronger Illinois with a thriving economy means providing the same prospects to everyone,” Pappas said. “I will fight to make sure the children in our community grow up in a world where everyone can have a thorough education that leads to a stable job.”

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – State Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, is promoting a tax amnesty program by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), which will relieve financial burdens on working and middle-class families by offering a window to pay off back taxes without extra charge.

“Hard-working Illinois taxpayers have a unique opportunity to pay off back taxes without being hit by punishing late fees and interest payments,” Pappas said. “No one deserves to have the mounting problem of unpaid taxes hanging over their head, and IDOR is offering this chance to make it easier for people to get out of debt.”

Pappas backed a recent law, Senate Bill 689, which creates an opportunity for any taxpayer who owes back taxes from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2018, to pay back their full debt without any late fees or interest payments. More information on the program is available on IDOR’s website, tax.illinois.gov.

“The tax burden on working and middle-class taxpayers is far too large, and many people had years where they couldn’t afford to pay their taxes,” Pappas said. “Now, we are taking steps to build a stronger, fairer Illinois, with a thriving economy that works for everybody. However, the job is far from done, and our communities need relief from the tax system that left so many people short.”

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. – To stay informed on local priorities, state Rep. Diane Pappas, D-Itasca, met with constituents at the Bloomingdale Library to discuss critical issues facing the community.

“Staying in-touch with our community is one of the most important things I can do as a representative,” Pappas said. “I look forward to these discussions because they help inform my priorities. This community needs more access to good jobs, we need lower property taxes and we need healthcare that is affordable. We need a well-funded education system that gives our children the skills they need to succeed, and our local businesses need to be supported. I will be fighting for these issues in Springfield.”

For questions or more information in future meetings, call Rep. Pappas’s office at 224-520-8838 or contact her online at RepDPappas@gmail.com.