U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sat down with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County Health and Hospital System Acting CEO Dr. Erik Mikaitis in his Washington office to discuss the County’s health priorities.  In their discussion, Durbin and the Cook County leaders spoke about the need to prevent cuts scheduled for December 31 to the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital funding, which Chicago-area hospitals rely on to fulfill their safety net mission and continue treating under-insured patients.

With a shared priority of making health care more accessible for underserved communities, Durbin, President Preckwinkle, and Dr. Mikaitis discussed the positive impact of the federal Medicaid 1115 waiver, which Durbin supported, to grant the state permission for Medicaid to cover health care services for eligible incarcerated individuals 90 days prior to their release, in order to promote successful reentry and continuity of care.

Durbin and President Preckwinkle also discussed the importance of the National Health Service Corps, which provides scholarship and loan repayment to doctors, dentists, nurses, and behavioral health providers who commit to serve in an urban or rural shortage area.  This federal recruitment tool helps to address health care shortages, and Durbin is working to expand eligibility for this program to additional care settings that treat vulnerable patients.

“Health care is a fundamental right, and our government should be making it more accessible for all.  I spoke with Cook County Board President Preckwinkle and Cook County Health and Hospital System Acting CEO Dr. Mikaitis today about their important mission, and how we can work together to expand access to treatment across our community,” said Durbin.

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