ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – State Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, working with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Avon Township, and several other local health organizations and vendors to host a free Health Care Fair for community members on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Round Lake High School, located at 800 Panther Blvd. in Round Lake.

“With flu season quickly approaching, it is important that we work to provide a safe and healthy community for all,” Yingling said. “By teaming up with IDPH and all of the other fantastic partners for this Health Care Fair, we can provide preventative health services at no cost to local residents and keep our communities healthy this winter and beyond.”

By partnering with IDPH, Yingling hopes to provide free flu shots and other preventative health care measures to support the community. Attendees will also receive more information from multiple local partners, such as Mano a Mano, an organization focused on immigrant family services, and NICASA, a mental health organization.

“Getting a flu shot not only helps prevent you from getting the flu, but it also seriously reduces the risk of flu-related hospitalizations for vulnerable community members who may not be able to get vaccinated themselves,” Yingling said. “I am thrilled to partner with IDPH to provide such an important service for no cost to the community.”

Yingling has hosted numerous events offering free services for residents and connect them with the information they need. He recently hosted a College Affordability and FAFSA Seminar aimed at helping local students become aware of the resources available to ensure their success.

For more information, please contact Yingling’s constituent office at 847-231-6262 or email repsamyingling@gmail.com.

CHICAGO – During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, state Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is drawing attention to the availability of free breast cancer screenings for women through the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP).

“If you don’t have your health, you don’t have much else. Early detection based on appropriate screening is critical for women at risk for breast cancer,” Lilly said. “Unfortunately, too many Illinois women who may be without health care coverage do not know that free resources exist to get mammograms and breast cancer screenings.”

Through IDPH, the IBCCP offers free breast exams, mammograms, Pap tests and pelvic exams for uninsured Illinois women between the ages of 35 and 64. Women who are eligible for IBCCP screenings can also receive treatment benefits once enrolled in the program if medical issues are detected during a health screening. For more information on joining the program and to learn how to enroll, Lilly is encouraging women to visit IDPH’s breast cancer screening website at cancerscreening.illinois.gov or to call the state’s Women’s Health Line toll-free at 888-522-1282.

“Women can receive exams and treatment regardless of their income from the Illinois Breast and Cervical Program and this can be the difference between life and death,” Lilly said. “I encourage all women to take time during this Breast Cancer Awareness Month to understand the screening and treatment options that are available for themselves, their friends and their families.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In connection with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, state Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, is highlighting legislative efforts to expand access to lifesaving cancer screenings and promoting free screenings through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

“Our country’s health care system overwhelmingly fails to support or center the needs of women. All too often insurance companies find ways to financially penalize and deny access to critical health care services to those in need, especially for women, and that is unacceptable,” Didech said. “This spring, the Legislature began work to right this wrong, as well as make sure that at-risk women have access to free breast cancer screenings and treatment options.”

Didech is encouraging women in need to take advantage of the Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP). The program is operated by IDPH, and provides eligible women free breast exams and mammograms, as well as Pap tests and pelvic exams. Women are eligible for these services if they are an uninsured Illinois resident between the ages of 35 and 64. Additionally, if someone who is enrolled in the IBCCP is diagnosed with cancer through the program’s screenings and tests, they may be eligible to receive treatment benefits. For more information, please visit www.dph.illinois.gov or call the Illinois Women’s Health-Line at 1-888-522-1282.

This spring, Didech supported a bipartisan, balanced budget that provided $14.5 million for these potentially lifesaving services for Illinois women, as well as a new law mandating that insurance companies cover diagnostic mammograms as part of preventative care.

“During the month of October, many people will wear a pink t-shirt or change a Facebook profile picture to increase awareness, but we must do more. These efforts are in vain if we do not hold our elected officials accountable and ensure policies that help women are passed,” Didech said. “The needs of women are not a garnish to be considered on occasion – they should be prioritized within every issue.”

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new law backed by state Rep. Nathan Reitz, D-Steelville, will boost health care access across Illinois by increasing grant opportunities from the Department of Public Health (DPH) for doctors working in underserved areas.

“Every community across the state deserves easy, affordable access to medical care. Unfortunately, some are getting overlooked and do not receive the same availability as others, especially in rural areas,” Reitz said. “Areas without enough doctors are overburdened, and we see a shortage of medical professionals across our state.”

Reitz supported Senate Bill 447, or the Underserved Physician Workforce Act, which expands the list of medical specialties currently eligible for DPH grants for practicing medicine in underserved communities. The act also awards educational loan repayment assistance for new physicians to establish practices in these areas. The bill received bipartisan support in the House and Senate and was recently signed into law.  

“Accomplishing my goal of building a stronger Illinois means delivering first-class health care to everyone,” Reitz said. “Health care should not be limited by where a person lives or how much money they have. This legislation helps to ensure that our downstate communities are able to provide quality care to all residents in Southern Illinois.”