NEWS RELEASE

April 17, 2007
Contact: Don McClure
202-218-4189

Illinois Covered wins praise
from nationally renowned health care economist.

Dr. Ken Thorpe says proposed Illinois health care plan
will save consumers and businesses $16.5 billion by 2011.

Ken Thorpe, PhD, one of the nation’s leading health care economists and policy analysts, will be in Springfield on Tuesday, April 17, to meet with news media, state legislators, business leaders and health care activists.

A press conference is scheduled for 11:00 am Tuesday April 17th at the State Capitol Press Room.

“Opponents to the comprehensive health reform plan advocated by Governor Blagojevich have looked only at the costs, not at the net increase in Illinois business and family savings it will generate,“ said Mark Blum, General Manager of The America’s Agenda Health Care Education Fund, a national non-profit foundation that undertakes research and education on health care issues. America’s Agenda commissioned Dr. Thorpe to evaluate the overall economic impact of the Governor’s plan.

At Tuesday’s press conference and subsequent meetings and interviews in the Springfield area, Dr. Thorpe will present his analysis of both the Illinois Covered health care reform proposal and the gross receipts tax revenue plan for funding it.

Based upon his years of health care policy experience that spans both government service and academic research, Dr. Thorpe estimates that the first four years of Illinois Covered would result in savings of $16.5 billion. After netting out the costs of the reform plan, Dr. Thorpe’s analysis reveals a net savings of more than $9 billion in health cost savings -- savings that will not be realized if the plan is not implemented.

The financial analysis, which Dr. Thorpe says are based on “fairly conservative assumptions,” reveals that Illinois households and businesses will recoup more than $2 in savings from reduced growth in health insurance premiums for every $1 spent by the state on the proposed health care reform plan.

“Everyone who is struggling to pay skyrocketing health insurance costs wins from the Governor’s reform plan,” said Blum. “There will be a net gain for Illinois families and a net gain for businesses. In effect, the Governor’s health care reform plan will deliver the biggest, sustainable tax cut Illinoisans have ever seen.