ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – With the insurance marketplace open enrollment period starting Nov. 1, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is welcoming the Illinois Department of Insurance to present a Get Covered seminar to provide valuable information on how to enroll for health care coverage. The seminar will take place on Oct. 30 from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the Round Lake Park District Building, located at 814 Hart Rd. in Round Lake.

 “Having quality health insurance is essential to having a healthy life,” said Yingling. “I encourage anyone, even those who currently have health insurance, to attend this seminar and learn what they can do to get the best coverage possible.”

During this past legislative session, Yingling was a supporter of bipartisan legislation that contained many reforms to Medicaid in Illinois, including increasing cost efficiency while still maintaining a high quality of coverage, increasing transparency in claims, and reducing patient barriers to healthcare. In addition, Yingling has taken a stand on recent health issues in the state, including calling for the closing of two facilities in Lake County that emit ethylene oxide, a chemical known to cause cancer in the communities where it is emitted.

“Learning about the different options you may have on the health insurance marketplace can save you time and money, and lead to better coverage,” said Yingling. “I would like to thank the Illinois Department of Insurance for presenting this vital information to my constituents.”

For more information on this event, please call Yingling’s District Office at 847-231-6262 or email repsamyingling@gmail.com.

BATAVIA, Ill. – Continuing her commitment to fight for affordable health care for local residents, state Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, is partnering with the Illinois Department on Aging for a Medicare Seminar.

“I am working to build an Illinois that prioritizes the needs of seniors and middle-class families by addressing outrageous rises in health care prices and reining in prescription drug costs,” said Villa. “Part of my commitment to building a stronger Illinois is fighting for affordable health care, especially for our seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes.”

Villa is inviting area seniors, their family members and caretakers to her upcoming Medicare Seminar on Friday, Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at Batavia City Hall, located at 100 N. Island Ave. Experts from the Illinois Department of Aging will give a presentation about different Medicare plans, new enrollment, important deadlines, and will be available to answer questions about senior care.

“Understanding Medicare, the enrollment process and the different plans is very important,” continued Villa. “I encourage local seniors to stop by my upcoming Medicare seminar to learn more about Medicare and the savings and benefits they are entitled to.”

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Villa’s constituent service office at 630-326-9319 or at StateRepKarinaVilla@gmail.com.

GURNEE, Ill. – Residents are invited to join state Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, for a seminar called How to Start a Small Business in Lake County. The seminar is free and open to the public and will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Warren-Newport Public Library located at 224 O’Plaine Road in Gurnee.

“I know from starting my own consulting business that launching a personal venture can be a daunting task; it can be difficult to know where to begin,” said Mason. “To address those challenges, I wanted to host a seminar that gives residents the resources and empowerment to take those bold first steps into entrepreneurship.”

How to Start a Small Business in Lake County will be led by Mitch Bienvenue of the Illinois Small Business Development and International Trade Center. Mason also maintains a business of the month program to recognize existing operations that go above and beyond by serving and giving back to the community.

“I’m proud to have sponsored several pieces of legislation that make Illinois a better place to start and grow a small business, and I am excited to be offering this seminar,” said Mason. “I look forward to meeting with residents at this event, and I’m grateful to the Illinois Small Business Development and International Trade Center for being such an enthusiastic partner on this event.”

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CHICAGO – State Rep. Fran Hurley, D-Chicago, will help connect residents with helpful consumer fraud-prevention resources by hosting the Illinois attorney general’s office for mobile office hours at her constituent service office from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 29.

“Older residents in particular are often targeted by scam artists and may be unaware of how to file a complaint to bring their scammer to justice,” said Hurley. “We will have free resources available to not only help prevent consumers from falling victim to scams, but also how to appropriately report it to the attorney general’s office.”

From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 29, Hurley will host a representative from the attorney general’s office at her constituent service office, located at 10400 S. Western Ave. Residents are encouraged to attend to learn about a variety of topics, including:

• Protecting yourself from consumer fraud, including telecommunications scams and identity theft
• Submitting a consumer or health care complaint
• Tips on charitable giving
• Free resources about student loan repayment options.

“In addition to fraud protection, the attorney general’s office provides services to assist student loan borrowers and survivors of sexual assault and other violent crimes,” said Hurley. “I would encourage anyone looking for help rebuilding their life after experiencing financial misconduct or crime to stop by my office next Monday.”

CHICAGO – State Rep. Delia C. Ramirez, D-Chicago, invites residents to participate in her Fair Tax Reform Town Hall on Monday, May 6 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Good Shepard Christian Academy, located at 3740 W. Belden Ave. in Chicago. 

“Governor Pritzker has proposed a Fair Tax as an effort to reach a balanced budget that would provide a tax cut to working families,” said Ramirez. “I’m hosting a town hall along with other elected officials to help residents understand how their finances will be affected by the proposed budget.”

Ramirez will be joined by state Rep. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, and the 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, for a constructive conversation with the community. Residents and local businesses are invited to share their thoughts and ask questions about the Fair Tax proposal, which would provide income tax relief to 97% of Illinois taxpayers.

“It’s is crucial for the needs of residents and local businesses to be represented as we work to create a budget that not only brings the state financial stability, but is representative of every taxpayer,” said Ramirez. “Together we can work to get Illinois’ finances back on track by asking the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share.”

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Ramirez’s full-time constituent district office at 773-799-8219.

EAST MOLINE, Ill. – To help local residents learn how to protect their personal information in the event of a data breach, state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is hosting a free seminar with the Illinois Attorney General’s office on Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the East Moline Library, located at 740 16th Ave. in East Moline.

“Recently we’ve seen more frequent instances of people’s data being potentially compromised because of a company’s security failures,” Halpin said. “When this does occur, it’s important for consumers to be aware of the steps they can take to protect themselves from additional account identity theft.”

Halpin will welcome an expert from the Illinois Attorney General’s office who will discuss tips to help residents protect themselves against criminals seeking to extract their personal information online. Halpin will be available to help answer questions and provide an update on legislation under consideration in Springfield, including new legislation he is sponsoring that would prevent reporting agencies from charging fees to consumers who wish to freeze their credit report.

“My legislation would increase consumers’ access to resources if their personal information has been hacked.” Halpin said. “Identity theft is a devastating crime, and we should be doing all that we can to equip people with tools to protect themselves.”

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Halpin’s full-time constituent service office at 309-558-3612 or at rephalpin@gmail.com.

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill.  – Following the heavy rainfall and resulting flooding in Lake County, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, hosted a seminar with representatives from Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office to help equip local residents with tips to avoid so-called “storm chasers” and consumer fraud common after a natural disaster.

“As we continue to endure the effects one of the most destructive floods in Lake County history, I want to continue to help those affected in whatever way possible,” Yingling said. “Natural disasters are a prime target for scammers looking to take advantage of people during desperate situations and I hope the people who were able to attend are better equipped for dealing with criminals and dishonest repair companies. When in doubt, check with the Better Business Bureau or call the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-38-5438 before wasting your time and money.”

Common scams include home improvement and doorstep scams in which a scam artist knocks on a door offering to repair something. They ask homeowners to pay upfront and are never seen again. Wandering contractor scams happen when a scam artist knocks on the door and distracts the homeowner by pretending that a tree needs trimming or a basement has flooded and is in need of repair. While the homeowner is distracted, another person sneaks into the home to steal cash or other personal property.

The Attorney General’s office warns residents to never pay upfront for any services and to check with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Hotline before considering contracting services out. They also suggested doing a simple online search of the potential company for any negative feedback. Lastly, all residents should safely secure items that contain personal information and contact local law enforcement if they believe someone is illegally soliciting or trying to con people.